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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24774178">Prison Screw Me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/reader_chic_2/pseuds/reader_chic_2'>reader_chic_2</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Direction (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Prison, Anal Sex, Bottom Harry, Bottom Louis, Explicit Sexual Content, Famous Louis Tomlinson, Football | Soccer Player Louis Tomlinson, Harry/Others - Freeform, Larry Stylinson Is Real, Larry sex is all consenual, M/M, Prison King Louis, Prison Sex, Pyro Zayn, Rape/Non-con Elements, Therapist Liam, Top Harry, Troubled Louis, Washed Out Louis, cellmates, only for a moment, only with OMC’s tho</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:15:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>67,205</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24774178</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/reader_chic_2/pseuds/reader_chic_2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>He looked like an angel. He was known as the prison's bottomless bitch boy. He was resigned with his position, but Louis Tomlinson was not. He was not resigned to any of the changes in his prison. So he decided to change them all starting with the angel named Harry Styles.</p><p>Louis had been known as the king of the prison. He'd fought his way to the top. He was the leader, and everyone knew it. When people spoke out against him, they were taught a lesson. He had the prison in the palm of his hand, and then he got released. After a short time of freedom, he returned to some bloke named Nick Grimshaw called the shots, and that did not sit well with Louis, not when beautiful angels were being used like sex dolls. It wouldn't be easy, but Louis decided he was going to take back what was his and more.</p><p>. . .</p><p>Or the one where Louis is a washed up football player returning to prison for the second time to find his kingdom had fallen into the hands of a tyrant that traded sex with a beautiful, innocent man for goods to anyone in the prison. He decided to change that. He just didn't know he'd be changing himself as well.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan/Lottie Tomlinson, Zayn Malik/Liam Payne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>140</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Return</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hellooo</p><p>This is a long story that took me a while to write. I really ended up liking it, though it's not all completely proof read. Feel free to point out any plot holes though because I try to avoid them but when I change things, sometimes other parts of the story I forgot about don't add up. I hope not tho! </p><p>Warnings: there are scenes with slightly non-consensual sex going on. They are not horribly descriptive, but I wanted to warn you in case. There are not many scenes, either. There are also scenes with consensual descriptive sex, so if you are not interested in that or shouldn't be reading it, please don't.</p><p>I explore healing from sexual assaults here. I probably didn't do it justice, but then again, everyone is different. I liked this story, but I do wish I had shown this process more for Harry. Regardless, I am sorry if it is not well represented. My writing isn't perfect.</p><p>Some heads up...</p><p>- Nick is bad here. Sorry.<br/>- Freddie is part of this slightly. This is an AU, so he's really just another character.<br/>- Briana is mentioned briefly in a slightly negative way. I don’t mean to hate on her tho.<br/>- I personified Modest into a character because yeah. I wanted to. So that's his name.<br/>- I am from America. Some slang may be off. More importantly, I am unfamiliar with British prison systems and courts, so I wrote it from generally how American prisons and courts work. Also, I wanted to make Harry a former FBI or CIA member and tried to find the British equivalent to it. It's probably wrong, my bad.</p><p>Disclaimer: this is a work of fiction. none of this happened. These characters do not represent their real life counterparts in any way. </p><p>There will be 6 or 7 parts. This is a very long story, but I think it's worth it. I hope you enjoy! :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The prison looked more like a run-down castle. It used to be an insane asylum, so the description wasn’t far from a castle. However, the guests that resided there were far below royalty.</p><p>Louis Tomlinson was about to be one of them. Again.</p><p>The air smelled brisk and biting as he hopped off the bus, hands shackled behind him in cold metal. “Count my digits and make sure they all make it inside for me, please. I cannot feel a thing!” He chirped with a wide smile. The guards on either side of him weren’t amused. They merely shoved him forward, and if he hadn’t still had the balance of a professional football player, he surely would have fallen face first.</p><p>“Move it along, Stubbie,” grunted a guard.</p><p>“You remember me!” Louis’ smile lit up with mock delight. “Well, of course I remember you both so well, but I did not expect the same treatment from the guards! I feel so special!”</p><p>The other guard seemed even less amused. “If you remember us, then I’m sure you remember what comes next,” he said, lips twitching upward slightly. Louis barely had time to register he had swung his gun before it hit him above the temple. “When we say shut up, you shut up.”</p><p>Finding the world tilting on its axis, Louis somehow managed to offer him a thumbs up. They shoved him along the worn path in the grass until they reached the gates. Last time he was here, he had been knocked out cold for his ‘backlash’ and never could recall how he’d gotten to his cell. Louis had dealt with his fair share of head injuries from footie before prison, but now he was just waiting for the blow that would do him in at this point.</p><p>This time was hardly any different. The steps were a blur, but he recalled them being a bitch to get up. He knew this place had four official levels. The basement floor was reserved for solitaire, laundry, and ‘interview’ rooms, which was where the cameras had so many dead zones it gave the guards free reign to punch up on anyone of their pleasing. When a prisoner came up the stairs from the basement walking on two feet, most of the on watchers patted him on the back no matter what he’d been down there for, aside from the laundry workers, of course.</p><p>The second floor, which was at ground level, composed of the mess hall, the guards’ quarters, and a number of activities inmates had to work their way up to. Louis spent little time down there; he wasn’t one to work his way up to anything around there.</p><p>The third floor used to be two floors, but when it was made into a prison, they tore down the actual floor and replaced it with catwalks. It was where all the cells were. Most inmates shared a cell with someone else, but prisoners set to be there for over five years and had good behavior sometimes got moved into their own private cell. Louis had seen them before and they were nice.</p><p>The final floor was more like an attic. It was separated into two ‘towers’ with a rooftop connecting them. The prisoners had taken it upon themselves to make it into a makeshift garden. The towers each housed one of the common areas and an extra room. One tower had a library and one had a gym.</p><p>Out back, there was a grass field gated in they could use when the weather permitted. That was one of the reasons Louis hadn’t particularly hated his time in prison. At least there, he got to play footie and still be able to contribute; his opponents weren’t very good, even against a man with a metal foot.</p><p>Louis was tossed into his cell without much introduction. The lad resting in the taken bed eyed him suspiciously as he limped inside. He had dark black hair that stuck straight up, and his eyes were glaring at him like he was the reason he was in here in the first place. They were territorial, something commonly seen in prison, Louis found. It was a look he alone had mastered. This fella didn’t stand a chance, what with the way his face seemed to have absolutely no wrinkles.</p><p>“Do they starve us here now? Is that why your face looks so sickly? Or do you just never frown, mate?” Louis asked, hopping onto his bed cheerily. It was past roll call for the night, but it was before lights out became mandatory. His cellmate looked absolutely ghostly.</p><p>“Save your wit, Tomlinson,” he sneered. “You’ll need all your energy tomorrow.”</p><p>“May I ask what for?” Louis feigned interest before gasping. “No wait! I love surprises!”</p><p>The man just stared at him like he was the roach crawling on the wall. Louis felt delighted to have so much effect on someone so soon. The last time he was here, it took him half a year before people began to get irritated by him. It took an entire year for people to start listening to him, too. He decided this was a much better start, which he thought it should have been. He’d only been gone six months. Things should not have changed that much.</p><p>Of course, they must have considering the look on this unknown man’s face. It was the look of an alpha. In prison, to be deemed an ‘alpha’ took a lot of work normally. It took longer than six months’ worth of work unless the person had prior experience with these men.</p><p>Louis put that on his task list for tomorrow.</p><p>The next day, he woke up to the sound of someone’s hand grabbing his blanket. Eyes flying open, Louis stared at his roommate as he began to pull him and his blanket to the ground. Without a second thought, Louis’ fist connected with the man’s face. He jumped to the ground and pinned the slightly bigger man to the floor, sending another punch to his bony face.</p><p>“You’ve crossed the line, mate,” Louis hissed, digging his knee into his hip bone.</p><p>Guards came flooding into their cells at the sound of his cellmate’s screams, yanking Louis off and shoving him against the bars. He didn’t care about the cold metal pressing into his face. His grin could be seen from at least ten cells. He let out a laugh as he recognized a few faces.</p><p>“I’m back baby,” he shouted with a proud laugh.</p><p>“Shut up, Tomlinson!” said one of the guards. He yanked his head back and slammed him against the bars, and then he was out cold.</p><p>Louis later woke to an empty cell. It was different than his first considering his things were tossed in a pile on the bed, and the other bed had a few things on it different than the bed of the cellmate who he had beaten up. Hmm, he’d never been moved so fast before.</p><p>He would consider that a compliment, even if his knuckles were bruised and bleeding.</p><p>Louis glanced around. It must have been free time of some sort because there were a few curious prisoners talking on the catwalk, all shooting glances at Louis. His cellmate’s things were more organized than anyone’s he had ever seen. He had his books stacked neatly, drawing pad and pencils off to the side, deck of cards in an absolute perfect stack, and bed made neatly with a tie-dyed blanket. The only non-organized thing consisted of the pictures hanging off the wall. It seemed to be purposeful chaos, he supposed, but before he had time to really check them out, his name was being called.</p><p>“Tommo?”</p><p>Zayn. God, he’d missed Zayn. Zayn was the best. He was Louis’ most loyal mate here, and no matter what had changed, Louis thoroughly doubted he’d write him off. At least, he hoped. If he did, making a come back to the top of the food chain would be ten times harder.</p><p>“How’s the new bum leg fitting you, you wanker?”</p><p>Yes, Zayn was quite charismatic.</p><p>Louis walked outside of the cell with wide open arms, and Zayn hugged him without a thought. “Missed my little Pyro,” Louis hummed into his long hair. He needed to cut it, but he doubted Zayn would. Louis knew he didn’t like cutting his hair, not when they were in jail. Getting gel in here was harder than sneaking in a mobile, and short hair for either of them without gel was atrocious.</p><p>“My leg’s better than your real one.” Louis grinned, pulling back and making sure he hadn’t changed. “Makes my arse look amazing, actually.”</p><p>“That makes no sense,” Zayn snorted.</p><p>“No, he’s right. Those footie uniforms didn’t do you enough justice,” said a happy blonde from behind Zayn’s back. Louis frowned, staring at him curiously. He was munching on a bag of crisps, which was the only reason Louis felt inclined to trust him.</p><p>“Don’t mind him,” Zayn rolled his eyes. “He’s harmless. And straight.”</p><p>“But I can always appreciate beauty when I see it.” The blonde continued. “Crisp?”</p><p>Louis clenched his jaw despite how hungry he was. “Who are you?”</p><p>“Niall Horan at your service.” Niall bowed ceremoniously. As comical as that was, Louis had to admit it gave his ego a shove up.</p><p>“Well, don’t you look absolutely violent,” Louis said dryly. Zayn snorted, clapping him on the back with purpose.</p><p>“The lad’s in here for stealing shit.” He laughed like it was the funniest thing he’d ever heard. It may have been. Zayn didn’t like most jokes, if how little he laughed at Louis’ was any example.</p><p>“A car, to be precise.”</p><p>“An attempted car,” Zayn snorted. “That’s how he was caught.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, we get it,” Niall shook his head. He had an Irish accent and wasn’t even attempting to hide it. Louis respected that. The Irishmen tended to get kicked around more here in a prison full of Englishmen. “Heard you gave Grimshaw a beating! Props to that!”</p><p>Louis shrugged. “Was that who it was? Eh, he need knocked down a few floors.”</p><p>Zayn’s eyes turned back to their normal, serious state. “Nah, mate. Grimshaw runs the place here. You’ve just put a target on your back.”</p><p>Louis considered his words. He used to run the prison, and knowing that fairy-like bloke had taken his position sickened him. It’d been six months, but more than that, Zayn had completely stepped down. “What the fuck, Zayn? I told you to take over! It was handed down to you and you still managed to mess it up?”</p><p>“I wasn’t here for it.” Niall interjected, seconds away from getting slapped silly. “But have you not heard about Nick Grimshaw? He’s a gang-member.”</p><p>Louis threw his hands up. “I don’t bloody care! We tossed gang members in their place when I was here!”</p><p>“Not when they’re brought in together,” Zayn hissed. “He came in with five members. Beat me to near death in the courtyard and when I woke up it was turned upside down.”</p><p>Louis felt his blood boiling. Five gang members were a lot to handle, and Louis could only assume from the high ‘authority’ dripping from Nick’s voice that he was no ordinary gang member. This was that prick’s fault. He should have beat him worse in that cell last night.</p><p>On second thought, he was glad he didn’t. Louis wanted him at his prime when he challenged him down the road. If there was one thing Louis wouldn’t be doing, it was following someone else’s guidelines. He already had to tousle with the guards, and he was not looking to add to that list of rules.</p><p>“You’re a bunch of ninnies,” Louis seethed, pushing past them hard enough to nearly knock Zayn to the ground. Of course, Zayn was used to his aggressive tendencies and stayed upright. Niall sounded like he was about to follow, but he didn’t.</p><p>Louis made his strut around the facilities with a murderous glare on his face. No matter how many familiar faces he saw, he was pissed. He’d worked long and hard to get to where he was and keep it for two years. It had come to the point that he had almost been the tiniest bit of upset to leave, though the joy of everything on the outside waiting for him quickly made up for that.</p><p>After growing tired of the whispers and glares, Louis realized he was starving. He used to have people who would sneak and grab food for him no matter the time of day, but now it was on him. He supposed he could have asked Niall, but if he was going to work his way up, Louis wanted to get a feel for just how much had changed around here.</p><p>Louis worked his way to the basement floor with ease. The guards kept their eyes on him, but he simply claimed he was checking to see if he’d want to apply for laundry duty. Of course, he didn’t. Nobody ever really wanted that job. Last time, his job had been in the mechanic shop. He figured he could easily get that back considering the many positions available in the warehouse to the left of the prison. Most prisoners worked either there or in the livestock fields if they weren’t working in the prison.</p><p>The basement had supplies for food, so Louis figured he could sneak in and grab an apple or something. He hadn’t eaten in more than 24 hours. Louis really needed to stop getting knocked out.</p><p>He rounded the corner to the fridge and almost shit himself.</p><p>There was a guard right there, back turned to Louis, so Louis began to turn around, but he could hear the sound of clomping boots behind him, the kinds of which only the guards had. “Shit,” he breathed, knowing what was coming to him if he was found out sneaking around in these corridors.</p><p>So he sprinted across into a dark hallway where he quickly blended into the shadows. He found himself deep in the laundry section, tucked away behind the machines with so little light he could hardly see his hand, let alone where he was going.</p><p>And then he heard the sounds.</p><p>“I want to hear you, bitch,” said a voice Louis vaguely recognized.</p><p>A deeper voice cried out. It sounded like he was trying to hide the pain in it. Louis scowled, inching closer with curiosity.</p><p>“I said louder!” The sound of a hand slapping skin was loud despite the hum of the washing machines.</p><p>“I can’t!” said the deeper, pained voice. Louis felt his heart constrict. He didn’t like how hurt it sounded. “Unless you want me to cry. I can cry for you, if you’re into that.”</p><p>Louis smirked. That was a snarky attitude he had. If what Louis was afraid was happening actually was happening, he would give that man major credit for not taking it lying down.</p><p>“Just shut up! Tell Grimshaw I get a free session from you, and next time, you better learn how to moan.”</p><p>Louis’ mouth dropped. So this wasn’t another jail hook up. This was…this was an arranged hook up, but not even arranged by both of them there. No. This didn’t happen in his day. The closest thing that happened to this was maybe someone would let a guy fuck him in order to get something snuck in, but at least that was by their doing. Louis certainly played no part in that.</p><p>Finding the door to the room where the voices were coming from, Louis threw it open.</p><p>There was enough light in there to see what was going on.</p><p>One guy was bent over a table while another guy fucked him. The man on the table originally had his face hidden by his mass of curly hair, but when the door opened, he looked up. Tears were in his eyes, causing them to glisten a brighter green than Louis had ever seen. His face was chiseled, looking more like an angel than most children. Those high cheek bones were bruised, though, and that made Louis finally look away from that stunning, helpless face.</p><p>“What the fuck is this?” Louis barked, hand slamming on the table, making both men jump. He recognized the man above the angel. “Get the hell away from him, Javier.”</p><p>“Tommo?” Javier faltered, clearly not expecting to see him again. “You’re back.”</p><p>“No shit,” Louis spat. “Now get out of here before I make you.”</p><p>Javier did step away, and the boy on the table slumped, groaning tiredly. Just as he was about to pass Louis, he stopped, eyeing him with anger. “You don’t make the rules around here, anymore. I paid for this fair and square.”</p><p>“Is that so?” Louis mused, eyes flickering to the man on his stomach and butt clenched. “Were you enjoying yourself there, Angel?”</p><p>The man looked up, and Louis debated calling him a man. He looked far too young to be called a man, let alone be in here in the first place. “Does it look like it?” Louis’ lips twitched upward. “He’s right, though. He paid Nick for this. Just leave.”</p><p>Louis snorted at the pleased look on Javier’s face. “That’s a no.”</p><p>The man on the ground groaned, “I tried, didn’t I? You can tell Nick that for me, thanks.” He said it so casually Louis found it odd. Javier seemed to be sizing Louis up for a fight, and this was one he’d gladly take. Javier had always been skinny. He moved quick, but Louis was quicker than most inmates here.</p><p>“Step down, stubbs, or Grimshaw will fuck you up,” Javier clenched his fists.</p><p>Louis sighed impatiently. “Nah. I don’t think I will.” He breathed before he swung his fist, which promptly connected with Javier’s eye. It sent him tumbling out into a washing machine. When he came charging back at him, Louis stuck out his metal limb, hitting Javier’s shin with combined force. He crashed into a nearby door, headfirst, and groaned. It took one more kick and he was on the ground, scrambling away.</p><p>“Watch yourself, Tommo. Grimshaw will be after you!”</p><p>Then, he was gone.</p><p>Louis walked back into the room. The moment he did, the man on the ground seemed to relax with relief, but only slightly enough for his expression to change from wounded to annoyed. “Nick’s going to kill me thanks to you,” the guy groaned.</p><p>“Stick by me then, Angel. You won’t have to worry about him much longer.” Louis offered him a hand up, but he just shook his head. Louis’ eyes landed on the orange trousers and pants on the floor, tossing them to the bloke.</p><p>“My name’s Harry Styles, by the way, and I hate to burst your bubble, but you can’t stand up against Nick. He has ten guys at his back, all part of the Radical gang that he works for, and even more inmates who listen to him without a thought.” Harry grunted as he stood, back to Louis and pulled on his pants. Louis held back a gasp at the trail of blood running down Harry’s legs.</p><p>“Getting inmates to listen to you isn’t the same as loyalty, Harry,” Louis said, tearing his eyes away from the swell of his bum. It was a nice, perky bum. He understood how he found himself in that position. “I had plenty of loyals when I was here, and I intend to get them back. Do your homework. Ask around. I think you’ll find the name Tommo to mean a lot more than you think around here. So will Grimshaw.”</p><p>Harry stood up, and Louis was surprised to find how tall he was. Most prison bottoms like Harry were weak links who couldn’t stand their own ground and needed protection. Harry stood at around six foot and had lean muscled legs. Louis imagined his upper body matched, which was why this didn’t make any sense suddenly. Harry could handle himself in the prison if he was somewhat coordinated enough to throw a punch and duck.</p><p>“Sure,” Harry laughed, all traces of humor missing. “Well, thanks Tommo, but Nick always wins. Why do you think I’m down here?”</p><p>Louis considered that. He had no idea why. He wanted to know. Nobody in their right mind would sign up to be the prison bitch. Now a days, there were more than one, but none quite like Harry. Louis had heard of leaders pimping out other prisoners, but he’d never experienced it himself. Normally, there was some controlling factor. Louis just didn’t know what.</p><p>“I think you’re here because you’re hopeless, but Harry, love, there’s always hope! Even here.” Louis grinned, patting his shoulder. “Can I call you Angel? You can call me Louis.”</p><p>Harry again laughed without much amusement. “You really ran things before? I don’t believe it.”</p><p>Louis then crossed his eyes and stuck his tongue out at Harry. “Nobody messes with crazy, Angel.” Harry rolled his eyes, limping out of the room into the darkness. He turned right, so Louis followed. “I’d say give it a few days and you’ll see what I mean, but I can’t imagine getting pimped out feels wonderful.”</p><p>Harry snorted. “I’m used to it. I’ll be fine.”</p><p>Louis shrugged. “Alright. Since I saved you, though, can you point me in the direction of the food storage? I’m lost down here.”</p><p>There was no response, but Harry didn’t try to shake him off anymore, so Louis followed him to where they kept the non-perishables. He happily grabbed two granola bars, scarfing one down in seconds. When he turned around to thank Harry, he was walking up the backstairs to the kitchen and mess hall, which wasn’t normally permitted. He must have worked in the kitchen, that poor lad.</p><p>Louis found his way back to the main level without difficulty. Since it was inching toward his work shift, he made his way to the office of the guard in charge of giving them all jobs, but when he got there, it wasn’t the same one as last time.</p><p>It read Dr. Liam Payne.</p><p>Louis was very confused. He looked at the guard escorting him, but all he did was shove him forward into the office. “The new inmate is here to see you, sir.”</p><p>“It’s doctor,” said a voice too soft to be a guard. When he came around the corner, he found he was too handsome, too. Most guards were moderately overweight, owned horrible facial hair, were dumb as rocks, and had anger issues that surpassed some of the inmates. This man was very good looking, fit, and had glasses to top off his uniform. Moreover, his office looked like a lounge rather than an office. “Thank you. I’ll escort him when we’re done.”</p><p>The guard grunted. “Let me cuff his feet, at least.”</p><p>“No need,” Liam Payne said, lifting his baton and Taser gun. “I’m trained as well, remember?” His tone was a little too patronizing, and Louis could tell it was unintentional. He’d probably had to remind the guards of such multiple times before. The guard gave him the stink eye and shut the door loudly.</p><p>“He doesn’t like you much.” Louis pointed out cheerily. “Anyways, I’ve decided I think it’d be best if I was placed back in the mechanic shop. I worked there before and know my way around. It’d be in the best interest of productivity.”</p><p>“What? No introductions? I’m Dr. Liam Payne, but please, call me Liam,” he said, extending his hand. Louis glanced down at his cuffed ones and awkwardly shook his hand. They always cuffed them when they entered the guard’s quarters. “Oh, let’s get these off you.”</p><p>He took out his key ring and unlocked his cuffs. Louis’ eyes narrowed at him suspiciously. Guards never trusted anyone to be uncuffed in their quarters. Guards never played the nice game with Louis before. If they wanted something, they beat it out of him.</p><p>“What game are you playing, Payne?” Louis countered, sitting on the leather couch placed in front of his desk.</p><p>Liam shrugged. “I’m not just here to give you a job placement. I want to get to know you.”</p><p>“Me? Why?”</p><p>“I want to get to know everyone here,” Liam explained. “Everyone who is willing. If you let me take you on, you get a few special benefits.”</p><p>Now Louis was very intrigued, but he knew better than to let it show. “Why?”</p><p>Liam walked around, adjusting his glasses on his face, and leaned back against his desk. “In short, it’s to help you. I have a few reasons, truthfully. Do you really want to hear them all or would you like to hear the benefits?”</p><p>Louis snorted, rolling his eyes. “I want to hear your reasons, Doctor.”</p><p>Liam shrugged. “Well, recently, the Queen had declared she’d like to put in better efforts into the rehabilitation part of the prison system. What better way than providing a psychiatrist to every inmate that’s willing? So far, there are few that are willing, so I am the only one here. Personally, I agree with the Queen. I want to help you work through the problems that may have led you to a life of crime. I’m here as a friend to -,”</p><p>“A friend?” Louis laughed. “I’ve never heard someone talk that much shit at once, mate. I’m impressed, to tell you the truth.”</p><p>Liam sighed, pushing his glasses back into his hair. It was too clean cut. He needed to let it grow out. “Louis Tomlinson, right? You could get a lot out of this. I’ve been wanting to pick the mind of a pack leader, current or previous, and Nick Grimshaw has been more than unwilling.”</p><p>Louis bit his lip, eyes roaming the office. This place was nice. It offered a blimp of color within the gray walls of the prison. He supposed routine trips to this place couldn’t be the worst thing he’d experience here, especially if he got something out of it.</p><p>“You should have led with that! Any enemy of Grimshaw is a friend of mine.” Louis grinned, pulling his foot up to rest on his knee and getting comfortable. “Go on, then.”</p><p>Liam smiled briefly, as if he wasn’t completely comfortable with Louis’ reasoning. It seemed he wasn’t in any place to turn anyone down, though. “Well, like I said, I want to help you. Even if it’s as simple as you venting about your day or other inmates. What you say in here will be completely confidential.”</p><p>Louis scoffed. This guy was rich.</p><p>“Honest. By law, as a practicing physician, I cannot tell anyone anything about you. You could tell me you’re sneaking in phones or fucking a guard and I won’t tell anyone. The only exception is if I believe you will harm someone, yourself included.” Liam seemed pleased with his explanation. “Aside from wanting to help you, I am doing a study about the mindset of prisoners. Behavioral traits, goals, etcetera.”</p><p>Louis made a face. “Ew. You’re a smarty-pants, aren’t you?”</p><p>Liam grinned. “Or a doctor, whichever term you prefer.”</p><p>Louis tossed his hands up. “Alright, so what’s in it for me?”</p><p>Liam made a face of surprise. He clearly didn’t expect to get this far with Louis. He understood. Most inmates preferred to ghost by and do their time without drawing attention to themselves. Louis was definitely not one of those people.</p><p>“Well, for starters, half of one of your work shifts are spent in here with me every every few days. You get the other half of it free to yourself. If I feel you need certain, er, ‘comforts’ to heal I may insist they be brought in,” Liam offered. “I have a lot of say here. Ultimately, you have a friend on the inside here.”</p><p>Louis rolled his eyes. He didn’t believe the friend on the inside one bit, but his mind was already wondering what he could get here. He had an idea it if he played his cards right, he could get a few good things. Of course, that would require biting his tongue, and he doubted he’d be able to do that well, but it was worth a shot. Any chance to try to figure out the guards offered him an advantage over Grimshaw.</p><p>“Alright. I’m in,” Louis declared, failing to hide his mischievous smile.</p><p>“Really?” Liam squeaked, jumping to his feet. “Wonderful! Well then, let me just get you to sign this release. It allows me to study you but never use any identification.” Louis signed away. He wasn’t planning on giving up any incarcerating information. “Okay. Next, let’s talk about your job. Now, I know you’re not interested in getting a degree in the school here, but I did notice you used to study music before you dropped out of Uni to go pro.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Louis shrugged. “So?”</p><p>“Arts are good outlets of stress, Louis. There are a few inmates with interest in music. In exchange for giving positive sessions, you’ll be allowed to work with them twice a week. I’d like for you all to get together and hopefully perform for the prison every few months or so. The other days, you can work in the mechanic shop.”</p><p>Louis looked him over. He seemed far too pleased with this deal. It was a miracle this was even waved through the warden. The music sessions sounded like a luxury, something they weren’t allowed in prison.</p><p>“Want to know what I’m thinking right now?” Louis leaned forward, pressing his elbows onto his knees. Liam nodded eagerly. “I’m wondering if you get off on playing barbies with us.”</p><p>Liam cackled. “No, can’t say that I do. It may interest you to know your friend Zayn is one of them.”</p><p>That did interest Louis. If he could ensure spending an entire working session, which lasted four hours, with Zayn twice a week, he’d gladly take that.</p><p>“Alright, Payne. I’m in. Anything else? Gonna let my sisters stay the weekend for good behavior?”</p><p>Liam smiled tightly. “No. I wouldn’t subject them to this place.”</p><p>Louis nodded. Neither would he. “Great. So, can I go now?”</p><p>“Nope!” Liam grinned. “This is your first session. Let’s get into it, shall we?”</p><p>Louis groaned, grabbing the pillow and stuffing it over his face. He worried he was quickly going to regret this decision.</p><p>. . .</p><p>Dinner offered Louis a chance to seek out Zayn and Niall. He found them at a table in the back, and they were the only two at the table aside from a couple stragglers at the other end. “Mates, what the fuck are we doing in the back? Get the fuck up.”</p><p>Zayn rolled his eyes. “It’s easier this way, Tommo.”</p><p>Louis slammed his tray of food on the table. “Like hell. I’m not being cast to the back because you two are scared of little Grimmy.”</p><p>He promptly grabbed their wrists and pulled them up, scanning the mess hall. It wasn’t busy yet, so Louis decided to take his pick at whichever table he wanted. And when his eyes found that curly head of hair, this time wrapped around a bandana, Louis found it.</p><p>“Come on. Don’t lag behind now!” Louis called, grabbing his tray in one hand and Niall’s shirt by the collar. Harry was sitting at a table with someone else, but they weren’t conversing in the least, so Louis didn’t feel bad when he dropped his tray beside Harry. Niall and Zayn hesitantly sat in front of Louis and Harry. “Hello, Angel.”</p><p>“Louis,” Harry hissed, and Louis could see the way Zayn’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. Louis lightly kicked him under the seat so he wouldn’t mention the name thing. Thankfully, he didn’t. “Are you trying to get me killed or just literally gangraped?”</p><p>Louis folded a hand over his heart. “Neither. Just wanted to introduce you to my mates. This is Zayn and Niall.”</p><p>Harry nodded, unimpressed. “Hmm. That’s it? That’s who you think will stand against Nick?”</p><p>Out of the corner of his eye, Zayn’s eyes widened. His head snapped to whisper into Niall’s ear. Louis disregarded them. “I started with less before,” Louis shrugged. “Speaking of Grimshaw, where is he? I’ve been expecting a fist in my face all day.”</p><p>Harry seemed to choke on his drink. “Some bloke sent him to the infirmary. He’s always milked his wounds, though.”</p><p>“Oh, that was the infamous Tommo,” Niall grinned, like it was the hot gossip. It probably was. Fights happened often, but not normally on an inmate’s first night. Harry’s head whipped around to look incredulously at Louis, who only shrugged. “By the way, I have another friend who hates Grimshaw almost as much as the rest of us. So really, there’s four of us.”</p><p>Harry offered them a tightlipped smile, which was not nearly as fulfilling as Louis would bet a genuine smile from him was. “Right. I’m trembling.”</p><p>Louis smirked. “Well, I personally am surprised you’re sitting, for one.”</p><p>Harry squared his shoulders to Louis, looking him up and down like he was an annoying pest. “Why have you not gotten your arse kicked yet?”</p><p>Louis stood up and shoved his butt toward him, shaking it a bit. “Because it’s so amazing.” When he turned back around, Harry wasn’t even looking at him. Instead, his gaze was on the guard stalking toward them. “What’s his problem?”</p><p>Harry muttered with as much venom as a viper. “He’s with Nick.” He didn’t think he’d ever heard a person so angry at such a low volume before. “Next time, just leave.”</p><p>“Styles,” the guard growled, slamming his baton on the table. “Somebody is not too happy about your meeting.”</p><p>Harry’s eyes were trained on the table, and he muttered under his breath, “Not my fault.”</p><p>“Oh, we know,” the guard grunted, turning to look at Louis. “That’s why I came over here. Both of you, come with me.”</p><p>Louis pouted in a childlike way. “I haven’t even finished my mash! It’s so good!”</p><p>“Now,” he pounded onto the table again, and Harry rose with a sigh. Louis rolled his eyes.</p><p>“Fine then,” he huffed, grabbing a hand full of mashed potatoes and stuffed them all in his mouth. “Yum.”</p><p>The guard’s nametag read Modest, and Louis found it hard not to laugh at the idea of that name. Nevertheless, the grin he gave Louis did scare him a bit. “I’m going to enjoy this one, Tomlinson,” he said menacingly, and Louis had to choke down a shiver as they followed him out. Harry looked more scared for him rather than himself. He kept glancing at Louis.</p><p>Modest dropped Harry off at the infirmary and took Louis down a corridor. The moment they took the turn, the baton made contact with Louis’ gut. He crumpled over, coughing and taken by complete surprise. The next beating hit his face, whipping across him so hard Louis worried bones got shattered. His foot kicked him next, making Louis cough so hard he thought his lung might come out as well.</p><p>“You had enough nosing around in Grimshaw’s territory?” Modest growled, spitting on his cheek, which might have been the most painful experience of the entire beating.</p><p>“Never.”</p><p>Louis got kicked in the balls so hard he was singing in a key he never thought was physically possible in any human, let alone himself. The guard left him there, rolling around on the ground and clutching his junk until someone tapped him on the shoulder. When he rolled over, he was met with a familiar face.</p><p>“Get up.”</p><p>“Can’t,” Louis choked out.</p><p>“Now.”</p><p>“You got it.” Louis groaned. It was none other than Preston Mahone, a giant even in prison terms. He’d always given him a wide berth, mainly because no matter how quick and experienced of a fighter Louis was, one hit from Preston and he wouldn’t be able to breathe again.</p><p>Preston helped him up, but even while standing, Louis stayed crumpled to half his height while holding his pulsing family jewels, which made him come up to half the height of the hulking giant.</p><p>“Alrigh’?” Louis asked, voice still two octaves higher than normal. Preston was not amused.</p><p>He scowled. “You didn’t fight back.”</p><p>“No use, right?” Louis coughed.</p><p>He grunted. “Maybe for you. Must have hurt, though.”</p><p>“Oh, it did,” Louis tried straightening up, and it definitely hurt. “How are you, mate? Things still going well since I left?”</p><p>“No.” Preston said. “Where is your pack? We’ve been waiting for you to step back up.”</p><p>“We?” Louis asked, shaking his head to gain some clarity. “Nick’s a gang member, so most of my ‘pack’ are scared. That or they don’t know I’m back. I’m working on it…are you interested?”</p><p>Preston shrugged. “It depends on what you’re offering.”</p><p>Louis spread his arms invitingly. “What do you want? I’ve got an in with a guard now, and Horan seems to have a way to sneak some things in…”</p><p>“I want lube.” He said, face never changing in expression. Louis’ eyebrows shot skyward.</p><p>“Oh?”</p><p>Preston nodded. “We protect you. You get us lube.”</p><p>“Who exactly is we?” Louis inquired curiously.</p><p>“My boyfriend. And Jimmy and Joe want some, too. Separately.” Preston crossed his arms over his chest. Louis would hope so. They were twins after all. “You get us that. We protect you.”</p><p>“All the time?” Louis licked his lips at the delicious idea. This was exactly what he needed to get Harry on his side. He wasn’t sure when that became his priority. If he were smart, he’d try to establish bodyguards for his own safety; he’d taken so many beatings since he got here and it was only day one.</p><p>“Yes. Or make up for it later,” Preston said. “Grimshaw has taken over most of the hook up spots. We want him out. We all are serving for life, so we don’t care getting our hands dirty.” Louis pursed his lips. He did not expect this to happen. “As long as next time you’re freed, you pass it along to someone competent.”</p><p>Louis rolled his eyes. “Trust me. I won’t let that happen.”</p><p>Preston nodded. “Then we have ourselves a deal.”</p><p>Louis frowned. “Uh, well, give me a moment on that. I’m not sure why you’re so confidant in my abilities of sneaking in lube. That’s the hardest shit to get in here in large amounts. Even Grimshaw doesn’t have it.”</p><p>Preston’s glare turned stonier. “Then find out. We’ll give you one week to figure it out before we drop the deal.”</p><p>Louis sighed. “Alright then. Thanks, mate. You know where to find me.”</p><p>With a curt nod, Preston walked away. At least the shock of speaking to such an intimidating man distracted Louis from the pain in his personal areas. Now that he was gone, there was a lingering feeling of pulsing pain, but it was bearable enough to walk.</p><p>When he got back into the cafeteria, it was very packed. His food sat in his place at the table next to Harry’s. Zayn and Niall sat…talking to Liam Payne as if he were another inmate. Granted, he was young enough to be their age, but still, why was he out there so openly? Nevertheless, Louis limped over.</p><p>“Oh my god, you’re alive!” Niall laughed, like he wasn’t expecting such news.</p><p>“Why? What happened?” Liam asked, diverting his attention away from Zayn.</p><p>“Modest made it his mission to make sure I’ll never cum again,” Louis grimaced as he sat down.</p><p>Zayn sighed morosely. “I didn’t know they had a guard on their side. What now, Tommo? Really want to go up against a guard?”</p><p>“Hey, we’re not all bad,” Liam protested. Louis didn’t know why he was still there.</p><p>Zayn turned to him with a sneer. “They’re not all reasonable doctors, either.”</p><p>“It’s alright. Preston Mahone and his giant boyfriend are with us now. And the twins. If I can manage to do…something for them,” Louis said, cautious enough not to spill the illegal secret to Dr. Nosey. In fact, seeing Liam sitting there with them sprouted a new idea in his head.</p><p>“The twins?” Liam asked indignantly. “They exhibit animalistic tendencies. True psychopaths. They should really be in a mental health facility being studied.”</p><p>“You have an interest in the mentally cracked or something?” Zayn snorted, anger evident in his tone. Louis wondered how Liam ever got Zayn to comply in the first place. Then again, he was very into his music and would do almost anything for it.</p><p>“Well, that is my job, mate,” Liam shrugged.</p><p>Niall slammed his empty tray on the table and began picking off of Harry’s forgotten tray. Louis watched those grubby fingers, wondering how long it would take for him to come towards Louis’ food. He always had a semi-untrustworthy look on his face, like he was seconds away from spilling your most embarrassing secret.</p><p>“Who gives a fuck about crack heads?” Niall exclaimed, food falling out of his mouth. “I want to know what the fuck Louis was doing talking to Bottomless Bitch Boy!”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>Niall blinked, smile slowly slipping from his face at the murderous stare Louis was giving him. “You know. The guy you called Angel. That’s not his name, is it? Anyways, that’s Grimshaw’s bitch boy.”</p><p>Zayn sighed mournfully. “Everyone calls him Bottomless Bitch Boy because, well, he bottoms for everyone.”</p><p>“Everyone that pays Grimshaw for a go.” Louis seethed, slamming his hand on the desk. “His name is Harry Styles and you will not call him otherwise. Are we clear?”</p><p>“Harry Styles?” Liam perked up. “Oh. Oh, I know him.”</p><p>Louis glared at him. “If you know him so well, you could offer him some medical attention.” He looked back at Niall and Zayn. “That’s barbaric. Fucking for favors is one thing, but pimping someone out? Nah. Not here.”</p><p>Zayn looked at him skeptically. “He didn’t seem very willing to take your help.”</p><p>Louis shrugged. “Tiny detail.”</p><p>. . .</p><p>Louis was sitting on his bed, tossing his socks up into the air and catching them. Jail didn’t offer many forms of entertainment toward the end of the day, which was unfortunate because Louis was a night owl. For now, he didn’t care. His mind was spinning trying to figure out how to get lube in here.</p><p>He supposed he could try and get a lot of Neosporin in. It’s a medical request. It could work. He could even say it was for his leg. He could claim it was rubbing again. However, that could lead to a medical professional taking care of it, and he really liked his new leg. It offered him better mobility. He planned on ruining the footie players tomorrow.</p><p>Maybe he should change jobs to get in the kitchen. That was the easiest place to sneak something in. Well, the easiest way would be unpacking the delivery truck, but they’d never trust him with that job. He’d tried before, and they all said with his record with automobiles, they were more comfortable stranding him far from them. He supposed he understood that.</p><p>Somebody from a cell over started playing some of the worst music he’d heard in his life. “Oi! Shut that shit off.” He wasn’t given a response, but the music turned up louder. Louis sat up, hands slamming silently on the bed. “I said shut it off now!” He threw his socks at the cell wall opposite him, and despite that having no effect other than making two pictures fall off, the music turned down low enough he could ignore it. He made a note to try and get a music player in here somehow. People on good behavior got privileges, but Louis normally never made it long enough without a fight to be deemed a person on good behavior.</p><p>He went over to retrieve his socks, picking up the fallen pictures in the process. He was shocked by what he saw. It was pictures of the outside world. One was a polaroid of a man at a drum set, hair blocking his turned down face. The other one was of a group of people all surrounding a desk in a dark office space. There were at least fifteen people in the picture, and it was hard to make out their faces. He moved the picture closer, eyes focusing on the man sitting at the desk, grinning like he was the happiest person alive. He was too far away to depict correctly, but those curls tugged at his mind. Before he could think hard about that, he gasped.</p><p>There was an NCA badge on the man’s chest. There was an NCA badge on everyone’s chest. Whoever this was, he worked for the National Crime Agency, a fact that made Louis’ blood run cold.</p><p>“Hey! Put that down!” said a gravelly voice at the cell door. Louis jumped, clutching the picture closer to his chest. Harry Styles stood before him, dark rings under his eyes and clothes torn. He walked forward, noticeably wincing as he did, and snatched the picture from Louis’ hands. “Are you deaf? What are you doing in here, Louis?”</p><p>Instead of lashing out like most would, Harry set worked on clipping the pictures back to the wall.</p><p>“T-this is my cell,” Louis spoke slowly, unsure why Harry’s presence was so shocking to him. “You’re a cop.”</p><p>Harry snorted. He leaned away from the wall before glaring down at Louis. There was a pain in his eyes that never seemed to go away. During the day, it had been hidden by lesser pains, but now it was clear. It made the green stand out among the hopeless, glassy orbs.</p><p>“I <em>was</em> a cop – a NCA agent, to be precise.” Harry grumbled, like he loathed that fact. Maybe he did, but it certainly wasn’t regret about taking the job. He detested that for another reason, and Louis had a good idea why.</p><p>“You should really hide that fact, mate. People hate cops in here. Dunno why…” Louis scratched at his head comically, but Harry wasn’t laughing.</p><p>“No shit,” Harry hissed. “Everyone knows. My trial made national news.”</p><p>Louis scowled, hopping back onto his own bed. Harry leaned against his, still stiff as a board. “Oh. That’s shit. Is that why you’ve been deemed the Bottomless Bitch Boy? Cute name, by the way.”</p><p>“You’re a proper prick,” Harry spat, stripping himself of his shirt. He had more tattoos than Louis would expect of a former officer. The ink contrasted against his milky white skin. He was a fit lad, too. His abs and biceps were pronounced, making thoughts dance in Louis’ mind. He no longer looked quite so angelic, standing there with his rugged body in full display. He looked downright dangerous. Louis did not like the hot coil building in his stomach. Harry wasn’t exactly someone he could afford becoming weak to. “Could you stop bloody staring?”</p><p>“Right,” Louis cleared his throat, going back to tossing his socks in the air. Out of the corner of his eye, he did notice Harry toss something under the bed. Later, when Harry was under the covers on his stomach, Louis looked under his bed. His white briefs were stained a deep shade of red. It made Louis’ stomach twist. “I’m looking for a way to get lube snuck in here. Any ideas?”</p><p>Harry turned his head in Louis’ direction, eyes narrowing. “You think I’d be walking like I am if I had lube? I was lucky enough to get them to use condoms.” Louis knew that from the beginning, which was why he offered him a sympathetic smile. He really just wanted to let Harry know what his latest moves were. “Why do you want it, anyway?”</p><p>Louis wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” Louis giggled, and Harry scowled. “I have my reasons.”</p><p>Harry scoffed. “Well, good luck with that. Even Nick can’t get it in here.”</p><p>Louis laughed. “I’m quite more persuasive than Grimmy.” He expected at least an eye roll from Harry, but instead, the man turned his face away from Louis, growing quieter by the second. “You know, you could talk to me a bit. We are cellmates, after all.” Harry didn’t answer. “I promise not to beat you up,” he teased, and when Harry tensed, he tossed his smelly socks at him. They bounced off harmlessly, but it was enough to get Harry staring him down like he was the cause of all his ruin.</p><p>“God, shut up already! I know who you are, Tomlinson!” he shouted, and Louis was now thankful for the music playing nearby to keep some semblance of privacy. He didn’t know why, but his words cut into Louis deeply. It didn’t feel right to have Harry call him Tomlinson. “You’re a washed up, drunken ex footie player turned cop killer. You should have wasted the rest of your life away in here, but you had the money to pay them off. You still do. So your promise isn’t really worth much to me, is it? I don’t care what you promise, Louis Tomlinson. You disgust me. I’m not interested in getting to know you. I’m not interested in helping you out. And I am certainly not interested in your help. So please, if you don’t mind, fuck off.”</p><p>It was like a wave of hatred was sent his way. Louis never cared much of what people thought of him, and coming here after the big incidence happened, he couldn’t afford to care. This was years later, though, and most people here already had their time to rag him for what he did. It wasn’t fresh and hadn’t been brought up in a while. Even when it was, it was touched on lightly, never like this. Not thrown in his face with no warning whatsoever.</p><p>He’d never heard someone sound so angry about it, either.</p><p>Louis could get under people’s nerves, but that was okay to him because he knew what he was doing. It was growing tiring to be blindly hated by somebody. You can change someone’s opinion of you if they don’t know you well, but Harry here knew him well enough, at least in Harry’s mind. This instant animosity for Louis wasn’t something he knew how to break.</p><p>He didn’t know if he wanted to, either. How could he when everything Harry said was true?</p><p>Harry turned the back of his head to Louis, who was waiting for the lights out call before he let himself breathe again. He’d hadn’t felt so sick with himself in a long time.</p><p>. . .</p><p>Breakfast was always an anticipated meal. They had a work session of two hours before breakfast, so by the time it came around, everyone was starving. Louis got there late, so he looked around for Harry, though he knew that was pointless. It would only anger him further. Still, even if Harry hated him for their continued time together, he was going to find a way to get him lube if it was the last thing he did. He’d prefer to remove the need for it in the first place, but Harry was a stubborn man. Louis guessed he had another couple of days before Grimshaw sicked somebody else on Harry. Somehow, he had hope.</p><p>Louis noticed the table they’d sat at the day before seemed much fuller now. True to his word, Preston and his boyfriend, Samuel, sat beside Zayn. Niall, on the other side of the table, dwarfed in comparison to Jimmy and Joe. Instead of seeming scared by the hulking figures that were stood a foot above his head and double his width, Niall chatted happily.</p><p>So Louis grabbed his food, almost through the line when he saw a very concentrated Harry Styles in the back. He was slaving over the stove, whipping up what seemed to be eggs. That was interesting. It made sense, though. Most inmates worked the two-hour shift in the morning, but some people had it as their free time. Very few people got that because it meant they could sleep in. However, when Louis got up to leave, Harry was still sound asleep. He tried waking him up until Harry mumbled he’d bite his dick off in the night if he didn’t leave him alone, and Louis, quite content with his dick attached to his body, let him be. Now it made sense. Harry worked through breakfast, so he was given the work shift before free, most likely on the premise of giving him time to eat.</p><p>Now his mind was reeling with possibilities. Getting lube in here would be much easier than he’d expected. The hardest part, really, would be convincing Harry to help him. Though, if his blood-stained pants were anything to go by, it shouldn’t be that hard as long as Harry’s instinct to steer clear of pain was stronger than his pride.</p><p>Louis was making his way over to the table when three people intercepted his path. Two of them were Latino men with fat bellies. He knew for a fact that they spoke only a miniscule amount of English, which made charming them impossible for Louis.</p><p>The third person was Nick Grimshaw. He looked miniature squished between his two friends, dressed in a wife-beater tank with his orange jumpsuit rolled down. There was a gold chain hung around his neck. Louis mentally gagged. Gold was much too flashy these days. Louis now was tempted to get a silver chain, just out of spite.</p><p>“Hello lads. You’re in my way,” he said cheerily.</p><p>“Cut the shit, Tomlinson,” said the man with hair as tall as a skyscraper. “Step off of Styles.”</p><p>Louis made a tsk tsk sound. “Didn’t he tell you? We’re roomies! Isn’t it so exciting?” Nick’s eyes were as wide as saucers, a definite bad look on him. He sputtered, obviously too shocked to form a sentence. Louis smirked. Having the upper hand in a conversation gave him the best feeling. “Aw, what’s the matter? Jealous? I do have to say, he gave me a nice little strip show last night. And guess what…it was free.”</p><p>Nick narrowed his eyes and elbowed the man to his left. A fist came flying his way, but Louis ducked. A foot came barreling at him from the man on the right, but Louis jumped backwards. He should have crashed into a table, dropping his food in the process, but instead, he made contact with a man-wall. Preston gently sat him down on his seat before walking forward. He had his business face on – when did he not? – and it made the two men back down. Instead of pursuing more violence, Grimshaw walked forward, getting much too close. He had bad breath.</p><p>Preston had a hand on Louis’ shoulder, ready to yank him back at a second’s notice. Louis held his ground, curious what Nick had to say. “Oh, Tommo, you have no idea how close I was with Harry. How close I could be again. He’s at my beck and call. Enjoy watching from afar. Hey, if you give me a good deal, maybe I’ll let you watch me fuck him sometime. Sound good?”</p><p>Louis wanted to sock him. He had never wanted to punch someone so much before. His fist was moving all on its own accord, but then Preston was there, nudging him, signaling to him that it wasn’t worth it. Louis knew this. He knew there were too many guards watching. He knew a second fight with Grimshaw would undoubtedly lead to solitaire for a week. He knew no matter how hard he punched him, it wouldn’t help Harry.</p><p>So instead, Louis gave him a tight smile. “Nah, mate. Wouldn’t think about it. He’s yours. And half the prison’s.”</p><p>Nick narrowed his gaze again, crossing his arms. “I know what you’re doing, Tomlinson. Go right ahead. Try to challenge me. I’d love to see you against all of us. It won’t end well, you know.”</p><p>Louis laughed heartily. “Funny! I was just going to say the exact same thing to you!”</p><p>The man blew out a breath of gravy-smelling air. “I’m serious.”</p><p>Louis smirked. “As am I. Tell Harry I said I’ll be waiting up for him after curfew. Really feeling some cuddles tonight.” With a wink, Louis turned on his heel and led Preston back to the table.</p><p>“And let the war begin,” Zayn sighed tiredly.</p><p>Louis grinned. “Indeed. Good stuff. Niall, I’d like to meet your friend you mentioned.” Niall looked up sheepishly as Zayn smacked his hand away from his food.</p><p>“Okay. Are you doing the music thing with Liam?” Niall asked, mouth full of oats. Louis nodded. “Perfect. He said he’s in it, too. Can’t play an instrument or sing to save his life, but he pretends.”</p><p>Louis nodded. “Alright then. When is that?”</p><p>“Tuesdays and Fridays. Starts next week.”</p><p>Louis couldn’t wait. Right now, his immediate goal was gaining the loyalty of more people. Harry claimed Nick had ten members on his side. Louis needed at least fifteen, then. It was very doable. People liked him, even if he was a smart arse. Moreover, he was reasonable when it came to getting people the things they needed. On the other hand, he never failed to assert his authority when it called for it.</p><p>Later in the day was his session with Liam. Apparently, his first week meant he got a session with him every day. They needed to get a baseline, the doctor had claimed.</p><p>“What was going through your mind the night of your first incidence?” Liam asked. “Was it different from the next one?”</p><p>Louis twitched from the couch. He kept asking more and more personal questions, and he was pushing his luck. Half his answers were sarcastic already. “First off, I had one incidence, not two.”</p><p>“Then why are you back?”</p><p>Louis gritted his teeth, eyes boring into Liam with hatred. He tried to bite his tongue for the sole reason of the request he was going to ask. “Because Briana is a witch of a woman who has no soul. Can we get back to important shit now?”</p><p>“You don’t find this important?” Liam countered.</p><p>Louis tossed his hands in the air. “You’re the bloody therapist. It’s in the past. I can’t do anything about it!”</p><p>Liam pursed his lips. “It’s still good to talk about it.” Louis rolled his eyes. “Fine. What would you like to talk about?”</p><p>This was good. This he could work with. “Dunno. Any advice on not strangling my hot new cellmate?” None of this was true, of course. It was all a ploy to get some lube. “Harry Styles? You’ve heard of him, you said.”</p><p>“I have,” Liam said. “Erm, why is it you want to strangle him now?”</p><p>“Because he’s a bloody tease!” Louis exclaimed, running his hands through his hair. It was growing out longer again. “I suppose it’s not entirely his fault. It’s not like we could actually fuck in a way that’s enjoyable to both of us.”</p><p>Liam seemed unsure how to answer. “Right. Still not following.”</p><p>“Last night, he put on a strip show for me, basically. It was torturous. He even fucking winked. I just want to punch him. Or kiss him. Or something.”</p><p>Shock filtered across Liam’s face momentarily. He hadn’t gotten this detailed of a response from Louis yet. It took him a few moments to process it. “Well, um, technically, I can’t advise you to engage in sexual pleasure with anyone here. However, if this were a patient outside of the prison, I would offer a few methods to relieve your…sexual frustration.”</p><p>Louis nodded, trying to keep the smile off his face. This was going exactly how he’d been hoping. “Right. What have you got for me?”</p><p>“Well, first off, I’d suggest taking out any anger on your pillow. To dispel those feelings, maybe try finding a flaw and zoning in on it. If it’s just lust, that can easily be swayed, you know. Finally, if the feelings are mutual, I’d say go for it. A good sex life is healthy.” Liam scowled, clearly not pleased with his answers. “No, that won’t work very well, now will it?”</p><p>Louis scooted forward. “Haven’t you ever felt that pull toward someone so undeniable you just have to grab them? The more you resist, the more uncomfortable you get. You just have to kiss them, have to get your hands on their skin, in their hair. It physically hurts not to?”</p><p>Louis was exaggerating a bit. He’d certainly had fleeting moments of that around Harry. After all, the first thing he saw of him were his breath-taking eyes and cute little bum. Still, Louis knew not to get too close to him now just for that reason. He couldn’t risk creating a magnetic pull to Harry, who clearly hated his guts.</p><p>It worked, though. Liam was flushed, eyes staring down at his feet as he nodded. “Yes, I know the feeling.”</p><p>Louis grinned.</p><p>“However, I know you don’t feel that for him,” Liam shook his head with a disappointed sigh. “Or, at the least, the feeling is not mutual. So if you want me to tell you to go sneak off to have sex, which I still don’t get why you feel the need for me to encourage that, I won’t. I work with Harry, as well. I know his feelings toward you, and I know he’s expressed them to you…to some degree.”</p><p>His heart dulled. Stupid Harry had to go ruining more of his plans. Fuck. Louis scooted forward on the couch, elbows pressing into his knees with earnest. He wore an honest expression now. “You said it yourself, doctor. A good sex life is a healthy one, and I want that. But I can’t very well have that without lube.”</p><p>Liam’s eyes shot skyward.</p><p>“And I’m really thinking about the good of others, okay? It’s not just me who’s sexually frustrated here.” Louis forgot that he wasn’t even one of the people who was going to use the lube. He wasn’t sexually frustrated. Not yet, at least. “Harry’s having sex and comes back with major damage to his bum. It’s not okay, and he won’t take my help in getting away from Nick, so please, the least I can do is get him lube so he won’t be in pain, at least physically.”</p><p>Liam crossed his ankle over his knee, humming expectantly. He didn’t say a word, yet he continued staring at Louis with profound interest. It was unnerving and had Louis’ entire leg bouncing. He was second away from saying something, but he felt like he’d rambled enough already.</p><p>“I’m curious, Louis, as to why it is you feel such a need to help Harry,” Liam pondered aloud. The thought floated from his lips into Louis’ ears unwelcomely. “In your past sentencing, you were once rumored to have ordered a man to be stabbed for stepping on your shoes.” Louis wanted to point out that the shoe stepping had more to do with pointing out the fact that he couldn’t feel it in his bum leg. It was a prideful thing of him, and quite immature. “Yet here you are, trying to be a hero to a man who hasn’t given you the time of day.”</p><p>Louis groaned, grabbing at his hair in frustration. “I don’t know. Why does it matter?”</p><p>Liam almost smiled as he sat up straighter. “Tell you what. You explain why and start giving me honest feelings and recollections about yourself, and I’ll give you lube.”</p><p>Louis gritted his teeth. Liam’s eyes were unmoving and unsettling. Leaning back into the couch, Louis pouted. “Fine. Maybe I’ve got a thing for him. Is that what you wanted to hear, you enlarged teenager?”</p><p>Liam shook his head. “More. Why do you suddenly have this hero fixation set on Harry?”</p><p>“Hero fixation?” Louis repeated with disdain. “God, is it a crime to want to help somebody?”</p><p>Liam tilted his head. “No, but for you, it is quite unlikely. Walk through your life with me for a minute, yeah? You were at the top of your career. You were set to go to the world cup. You were thriving, and then you broke your foot. Your surgery led to an infection, which led to an amputation, but you’d had plenty of years in the lime light, with more money than you could handle. You had other passions. What is it you didn’t do?”</p><p>Louis clenched his jaw. “Kill myself.”</p><p>Liam shook his head. “Almost though. You didn’t do charity. You didn’t do clinics. You didn’t teach. You didn’t invest your time in anything other than drinking. You didn’t connect with people. You didn’t show any interest in your baby on the way. You did absolutely nothing when you could have been helping thousands.” He readjusted his glasses. “Then, you kill someone. Two, actually, and when you get here, it looks like you found something. A family of some sort. Is that why you did what you did? Is that why you’re back here?”</p><p>“Like shit,” he spat suddenly, jumping to his feet as tsunamis of rage hit him. He pointed to the small window looking outside. “My boy is out there growing up without me! You think I want to be back here?” He snarled, feeling as insulted as he did last night at the accusation. “You think I’m trying to correct the fact that I was a self-centered arse for months after my downfall, right? Well, shit doctor you are. Freddie is my correction. He’s what I focus on. He’s where all my energy goes to on the outside. Harry is just someone to pass the time until I get back to my boy.”</p><p>“Someone who needs saving,” Liam pointed out with a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I know you love your son, but that makes your other problems all the more important to move past. For him. You never dealt with the guilt that’s surely there. You don’t even talk about it, I hear. It needs to be talked about, no matter how you feel about it.”</p><p>Louis ran a hand through his hair. “Whatever, mate. Keep your stupid lube.” He grabbed for the door before remembering he couldn’t just leave the place. Liam had to escort him.</p><p>“A deal’s a deal. After all, I wouldn’t want you getting sexually frustrated and taking it out on others,” Liam said with a softer smile. It didn’t ease the ache in Louis’ heart. He was angry and upset and refused to listen to any more nonsense from the loon. “I’m guessing you’ll want multiple bottles?”</p><p>With a curt nod, Louis realized he sentenced himself to more of these intrusive conversations. Honestly, he was scared for Liam. That man knew how to push buttons, but Louis worried he’d soon push the wrong ones and Louis would explode.</p><p>The moment he was released, he went outside to the pitch. Niall waved him over to join in a game of cricket, but Louis ignored him, tightening his trainers. Between Harry and Liam, Louis was thoroughly pissed off. He knew of only a few ways to release such intense anger, so he found himself jogging around the track until his lungs were bleeding.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Shift</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Louis met with Liam every day and wanted to gorge his eyes out by the end of it each session. Most of the time, Louis kept the conversation to about his day. Sometimes, he’d give him some insight into what it was like last time in prison, when he had control. He talked about how he whipped the guards into line. He told him how he’d always been the one to get more beatings because of it, but it was worth it to keep their bullying remarks off his mates. Every new inmate met with Louis within hours, and most of the time they came out of it with a beating and a promise that if they stayed in line, Louis would restrain his men and offer him a little protection or trade on the side. Most of the time, that tactic worked more or less. It kept anyone from rising against him, at the least.</p><p>Luckily, he didn’t press the issue of talking about his past disciplinary issues. At one point, they got so into their football conversation they went over their allotted time, causing Zayn to walk into their session. Louis saw the way the smile on Liam’s face widened, shifting in the direction of the beautiful boy who’d just entered. Zayn was a withdrawn person, so Louis knew it took a lot to get him to speak up about himself, but Louis didn’t think grinning at him like he was water in dessert would do the trick.</p><p>Harry had been nonexistent in his life, really, which was a hard feat to accomplish due to their rooming together. It may have had to do with the constant visits Louis and the boys got from Nick’s crew. Louis had been lucky enough to have Preston around him most of the time, and the one time he didn’t, he had Niall with him, and they managed to beat up the lackey’s without drawing the guard’s attention. Still, for all Louis knew, Grimshaw could have been getting on Harry ten times more.</p><p>Every night, Harry came in sullenly, ignoring any of Louis’ attempts at conversation. The closest thing he got to speaking to him was when Harry talked in his sleep. It was mostly hushed whispers he couldn’t make out, but the words he could understand were so terrifying Louis normally woke him up.</p><p>He came in toward the end of one week walking worse than ever. Again, his pants were stained a deep red, and he winced so badly when he sat down it hurt Louis even. He told him it helped if he took a deep breath in when he shit. Harry told him to fuck off.</p><p>Liam called Louis into his office after dinner on Tuesday, and to his surprise, he held true to his word. He had a bag of tubes of lubrication, and when he pushed the bag into his hands, he said, “For your leg.”</p><p>Louis snorted. “Thank you.”</p><p>“Ready for your music session?” Liam asked. “Come on, then. We’re late.”</p><p>It was in the attic of the mechanical shop, a place nobody really knew existed in his time here before. Liam was carrying the bag for the moment so the guards wouldn’t question him about it, but when he saw the room, Louis instantly knew he wanted to keep his stash there. The attic was a decent size like any other, but with the number of people inside made it seem like a small space. The great thing about small spaces was the number of hiding places.</p><p>“Do the guards come up here?” Louis asked curiously. Liam nodded.</p><p>“To a degree. Most don’t bother. Just me,” he said.</p><p>“Great,” Louis said, grabbing the bag from him and tossing it on a barren counter. He’d hide it later, mainly because he didn’t know one of the people in their group. Then, of course, he didn’t trust Harry not to rat him out to Grimshaw. “Why’s he here?”</p><p>“Harry was one of them who offered this idea,” Liam explained as he grabbed a rolling chair and brought it out front. Harry was picking at his nails, obviously regretting said idea. “Alright guys, let’s introduce ourselves before we get started. I’m Liam, that’s Louis, Niall, Zayn, Harry, and James. Now, I think James had some ideas…”</p><p>“Yes!” said the slightly chubby but all too cheery guy in the corner. Since the couch was all full, Louis took a seat on the floor with his back pressed to Zayn’s feet. Harry was regretfully only two people away. “Can’t wait to get started with you all! Now I was a comedy and movie producer in my past life. Unfortunately, I got into a little bit of embezzling before I could move into the music industry. I can sing wonderfully, mind you, but Liam here thinks it’d be a good idea for me to be the ‘manager,’ per say. I know you’re upset, but it’s for the best.”</p><p>He reminded Louis of an even more upbeat version of Niall. “James, mate, you can’t sing,” Harry said, chuckling slightly. The sound was so foreign to Louis he thought he might be choking in the most elegant way possible. “Is this about to be a train wreck, Liam? Can you lads actually sing?”</p><p>James clapped his hands happily. “That’s what we’re here to decide. I have Harry and Louis as being the writers. You can all sing, which is great. Niall on the guitar. Zayn on the drums. And Harry you mentioned something about a piano? Maybe we can switch that into a keyboard.”</p><p>Louis huffed, crossing his arms. “How is this going to work? We don’t even know if we like the same shit.”</p><p>Liam nodded. “Right, exactly. This is meant to be a working session - a learning experience as well as an outlet. If we can get the same sound, it will be good progress.”</p><p>So that’s what they did in their comfy little hangout in the attic. For the first time ever, Louis didn’t feel like he was in jail. It was weird. There were actual colors in the room. The couch was sunshine yellow and the chair James was in was black, and there was a set of black drums and yellow guitars and microphones. It wasn’t close to a recording studio, but there were amplifiers, which was needed for anything to be heard over the loud sound of machinery going on beneath them.</p><p>And, somehow, Harry dropped his defenses. After they all sang a bit and showed they were not, in fact, tone deaf, he almost smiled. That was enough to make Louis like it. Liam did have a point when he pitched this to Louis. Since college, he’d never had time to write. He wrote a few songs in his time in prison before, but he hadn’t done anything with it then.</p><p>Liam let them all leave early considering the whole session had turned into a hangout in getting to know each other (James was a very funny person that loved insulting Louis, but at least he could dish it back). Louis was planning to stay back to stash the lube, but he noticed Harry hadn’t gotten up from the floor. He was sprawled over a notebook with tiny words written in stanzas.</p><p>“Can I see?” Louis asked. Harry regarded him with disgust, but he didn’t stop Louis from lying down across from him. “What do you normally write about?”</p><p>“This one is about breaking innocence,” Harry said, eyes challenging Louis to comment anything sarcastic. “Look, we can sing together, but songwriting? It’s personal. I’m not sharing my life with the likes of you.”</p><p>Louis pouted, snatching the book from him without a thought. Harry groaned in exasperation. “We don’t have to go into detail, Haz.” He’d instantly picked up the nickname everyone had begun calling him. They claimed calling him Harry felt too weird after knowing him as Bottomless Bitch Boy for so long. Somehow, Harry had managed a half laugh at that. “This is really good. Did you study writing or poetry or summat?”</p><p>Harry hummed. “A little.”</p><p>“So did I.” Louis’ eyes skimmed over the paper. “What if you let Zayn take this high note? Then, you and I can jump in during the chorus, right? Because, frankly, mate, I complement you quite a bit. Your voice, that is.” There was a hint of blush on those budding cheeks, and Harry’s half smile was a good confirmation. “In general, too, if I didn’t think you’d sick Grimmy on me.”</p><p>Harry rolled his eyes with an affectionate snort. “He’ll just have to get over you now,” he muttered. “I think I like Niall at the end, but he needs a higher harmony.”</p><p>“Think we could convince Liam to join in? He’d be perfect for some of the lower parts,” Louis grinned mischievously, reaching out to ruffle Harry’s hair and only getting smacked away. “It’d take some strain off your hot little voice, mate. Just looking out for you.”</p><p>With a sarcastic laugh – Louis hadn’t known that was even a thing until he met Harry – he shoved himself to his feet. “Use your puppy-dog eyes, ‘Mr. Persuasive.’”</p><p>“I will!” Just before Harry could leave, Louis grabbed him and pulled him back in. “Angel, one more thing!”</p><p>Harry glared, but he didn’t comment on the name. “What do you want Louis?”</p><p>“I have something for you!” Louis smirked, trying to ignore the way his heart was fluctuating. He had to like it, even if it was from Louis, right? Harry sighed and motioned him forward. Louis bounded over to the bag on the counter and grabbed a tube, tossing it to Harry. “For your bum.”</p><p>Harry’s mouth dropped open. He stared at the tube in his hand like it was pure gold. “H-how? Why?”</p><p>Louis grinned. “I have my ways,” he said while trying not to look at Liam. “I’m tired of hearing you limp around.”</p><p>Harry snorted, running a hand through his hair. “Thank you, Lou. Seriously, I -,” he seemed to stop himself as if he recalled whom he was talking to. At first, Louis thought he would say something, but instead, he just stared at him in very deep thought. Feeling like booting him out would ruin whatever epiphany was going on in his head, Louis decided to risk it by hiding the bag of lube inside a cushion on the couch, only after taking three packets to dish out.</p><p>Harry was still staring at the packet in his hand when Louis came toward him. “Come on, you weird statue,” Louis tugged on Harry until he got him headed down the stairs. “It’s almost time for curfew.”</p><p>They walked from the shop toward the prison in relative silence. Harry kept looking at him, for once. It felt nice, definitely a switch from the other way around. Before they made their way inside, however, Harry stopped him, the hand on his shoulder burning into his blood. “Louis, be honest with me here. Why are you doing this? I’m so tired of trying to ignore you because I know you have to have some ulterior motive. Is it to make up for the other cops you killed?” Harry ran a hand through his hair. Louis was distinctly aware of the lessening number of inmates walking in. Any second now, they’d be the last two out there with the guard watching them. It was never a good idea to be caught alone with a guard, even with one other person.</p><p>So Louis grabbed his arm and tugged him inside at a faster pace than normal. He felt eyes on him as they walked up the stairs and into their cell, but Louis ignored them. He was tired, too. He was tired of Harry ignoring him and hating him. Suddenly, Louis realized he wanted Harry to like him. He had no real reason. He just wanted Harry to like him.</p><p>He sat them both on his bed with a sigh, hand squeezing his shoulder earnestly before he dropped it. Maybe it’d be best if he didn’t scare him away again. “Harry, does it really matter? I could tell you what you want to hear, that I’m a good person trying to undo the wrongs of my past. I could tell you even that I didn’t do those wrongs, that I was falsely convicted and have always been a good person. Or I could tell you I want you on my side against Grimshaw, that you may end up being our biggest asset. Maybe I could say I’ve been sent here undercover to free you. Either way, does it really matter? You’d be freed of your tyrant. Isn’t that enough?”</p><p>Harry had been hoping for more, but Louis wasn’t near ready for that. His shoulders sagged as he looked at Louis contemplatively. Then, he hesitantly rested a hand on Louis’ knee. “It’s not enough if I’m just there to be used.” He didn’t say what they both knew, that he was already being used. His eyes held a sad glint to them, as if he was ashamed to admit it. It hurt Louis’ heart, and that compulsory desire to be nearer to Harry came about again. Louis scooted so close their legs were touching, and he wrapped an arm around Harry hesitantly.</p><p>“I know,” Louis sighed, stroking his shoulder without thinking about it. His skin was soft despite the chill of the prison night air. Harry slowly relaxed into his arms. “We’d never do that. Everyone helps out as they feel fit, even if it’s just being one of the numbers for show. Besides, didn’t you feel it there in the music room? We could easily be mates. That’s all we’re asking. Maybe you could teach us some of your NCA fighting moves, but that’s it.”</p><p>Harry barked out a laugh dripping with dismay. “Louis, I was in computer science - a hacker, in your terms. I can’t throw a punch to save my life.”</p><p>Louis bit his lip. “I suppose I should have assumed that. Is that why you’re with Grimshaw? You think you need protected for being a cop?”</p><p>Harry’s eyes shifted slowly. “It’s not that simple. I mean, yes. When I got here, more than half the prison wanted me dead. Beat me half to death a few times to prove it. Now, I’m not sure. I think they think fucking me hurts me more, so that’s what they do…”</p><p>Louis leaned his head on his shoulder, reaching over and giving his arm a squeeze. “How long have you been here and, you know, doing that?”</p><p>Harry peered at him curiously. “You really didn’t hear? I’m a little insulted, Louis.”</p><p>A grin appeared on his lips. “So sorry, love. I’m a little high profile, as well. Now I’m expecting you to know my whole life story.”</p><p>Harry shook his head. “All I know is you’re a killer footie player. Played for my favorite team, too. Then you lost your leg and had a baby. All I heard after that was that you killed a bunch of cops. Naturally, I hate you.”</p><p>His words didn’t sting tonight. Louis turned, crossing his legs as he faced Harry. His hair was curling around his face, peeking out from under his headwrap. It cast shadows across his face, making the green in his eyes that much harder to see. “Do you want to know?”</p><p>Harry nodded, eyes staring intently into Louis’, honest and troubled. He couldn’t remember a time when Harry had been so open with him. So when Harry placed his hand on Louis’ knee, he spoke.</p><p>“I broke my foot one game,” Louis sighed. “Badly. It tore through my skin. A truly nasty sight, I’ll tell you. So I had surgery, obviously, but my foot got infected from it. It got infected from the thing that should have saved my career, and the infection began to spread, so they cut it off. Just below the knee. I wasn’t even awake once after my first surgery, see. I woke up, asking how long it’d be before I played again, and then saw it. Completely gone.”</p><p>Harry grimaced, face turning down. “That’s awful,” he said, a horrified, hollow expression forming on his face.</p><p>“I went a bit downhill from there, I suppose. Started partying and drinking. I’d never been a drinker before, really. Too focused on my game,” Louis explained, and Harry nodded in understanding.</p><p>“And then you had your son,” Harry said. “Did that help?”</p><p>Louis grimaced, shaking his head as he stared at his hands suddenly. He always tried to forget that Freddie was born during that period of his life. There were two separate worlds he’d been living in. “Maybe if Freddie had been all mine…maybe if I’d taken care of him all the time, things would be different. When I was with him, things were okay. I could forget about that life I’d been living. Always did want kids, you know? But his mom…his mom was determined to keep me out of his life. She was probably pissed I didn’t even try a relationship with her.”</p><p>Harry hummed. “If it’s any help, I understand why you wouldn’t. Briana right? I’m really into fashion, and most models don’t fit the stereotype, but she’s a posh snob.”</p><p>Louis’ lips lifted. It didn’t make him feel that much better knowing his son would be raised in her posh ways, but he’d always known that, too. “That’s an understatement. You’re some hacker, yeah? Didn’t find anything incriminating on her, did you?”</p><p>Harry shook his head. Louis should have found that comforting. After all, what good would it do Freddie if both his parents were imprisoned?</p><p>“Anyways, she tried taking him for Christmas,” Louis frowned as the call for lights out came around. He didn’t know how he was talking about this. Liam’s words resonating in his brain. He’d come here wanting to hear about Harry’s past, and now he was going over his own in ways he’d never done. He wanted to stop, suddenly, but the alluring pulls of Harry’s eyes kept him talking. His bright eyes were concerned and confused, waiting on the next part of his story with a grim expectation.</p><p>“Birthdays were supposed to be guaranteed, but my birthday is Christmas eve. She deemed Christmas to be more important and took him on a trip across the country the morning of my birthday. So. I went out. Got drunk. Thought it’d be a sick idea to break into her house, bought with my money was the excuse my drunk arse gave myself, and steal her car. And that’s what I did. Of course, she had alarms, and a police chase began. My drunk driving was shit, so when they cornered me, I guess it wasn’t a surprise I ran a cop car off a bridge. I don’t know, really. That’s what they said, and that’s what the footage looked like on the news.”</p><p>Louis slumped back against the wall, gauging Harry’s reaction. Perplexed was one thing. He seemed to be running the story back through his head, fact checking almost. His eyes seemed innocent as he looked Louis over, which only made Louis feel like he’d just swallowed ash. He hadn’t retold the entire story from start to finish like that before. It didn’t make him feel any better. It really made him feel worse.</p><p>“Do you feel bad about it?” Harry asked suddenly, inquiring with those eyes that could probably seek out the truth from a serial killer.</p><p>Louis opened his mouth and closed it. The coldness was sinking in, making him scoot back a bit, crossing his arms over his chest. “I…” Louis gasped as his breath came back short. His eyes went wide. This certainly hadn’t happened before. “Yes.” His eyes were a little teary, but he blinked them away with a sharp laugh. “Shouldn’t I feel less sick right now? You did something horrid to wind up in here if you used to be an NCA agent.”</p><p>Harry grimaced. “Yes.”</p><p>Louis was still trying not to cry, biting his lip to distract his mind from the pain captivating his heart. This definitely wasn’t a good idea. He was suddenly terrified he’d never get this to go away, that Harry had convinced him to open up the floodgates that could never be closed again. “Come on then. Let me hear it before I start weeping like a baby.”</p><p>Harry’s eyes turned, and he moved closer, pulling Louis into a hug that made his heart leap. It took him by such surprise it was a miracle he really didn’t start crying. “How does me doing something equally as bad make you feel any better, Lou? That means more deaths,” Harry said in a light tone that made Louis snort. His body was so warm in these cold cells that Louis relaxed into his hug. “I’m a little mystery here. Nobody knows what I did except for Nick.”</p><p>Louis should have asked what he did or why Nick knew, but something was bugging him. “Why do you call him Nick? Nobody else does, not even Paul.” Paul was his new second in command, seeing as Zayn had no interest in much of anything, and the person who’d spat in Nick’s lunch the other day.</p><p>Harry closed his pretty eyes, leaning his head back against the wall. “I’m sure he’s mentioned something about him and me in the past, right?”</p><p>Louis’ face was burning, and he was thankful his eyes were closed. “Something along those lines, yes. Please tell me it was for money. If you truly think he’s near your standards, you must be legally blind. And a horrible judge of character. No offense.”</p><p>Harry scoffed, eyes flying open with mirth at Louis’ teasing tone. “Regretfully, I am very much offended, thank you.”</p><p>Louis shrugged. “Sorry.”</p><p>Harry shook his head, eyes roaming freely over Louis’ face, as if his insult had suddenly given him free reign to his body. It didn’t, but Louis would give it. “I was his puppet.” Harry whispered because now the inmates were starting to go to bed. His words were so quiet Louis had trouble hearing them, but he understood the need for it. “Long story short, he used me. And I let him, though I hadn’t known it was also for illegal acts. When he got caught, I took the blame. Unwillingly, mind you. It didn’t matter. My organization doesn’t take likely to hacking into confidential file allegations. They wouldn’t even allow my physical computer to be viewed as evidence, which should have been enough to make the jury listen. But they didn’t, so they found me guilty. A waste of their best hacker in the agency.”</p><p>“Cocky wanker, aren’t we?” Louis said half-heartedly. He scanned Harry’s face, the way he looked so ashamed of his story, so embarrassed. Louis rested a hand over Harry’s, eyes turning down. “That’s seriously fucked in the head. You hardly did anything wrong, except maybe listening to a twat like Nick. It’s okay. Everyone has a weakness somewhere.”</p><p>Harry scoffed. “Yes, well, I’d rather mine be pride than being a hopelessly, idiotically romantic.”</p><p>“Pride?” Louis pulled back, speaking too loudly. He hissed, “That was not pride! That was anger and loss of control over me boy!”</p><p>Harry gave him a knowing look. His tiredness softened it enough that it dulled Louis’ outrage. “Tell me, why did you not pull over and accept your DUI?” Louis opened his mouth to respond. “Could it possibly be because you had been out of the lime light too long? Or maybe something as simple as you felt your life wasting away and needed something to happen – good or bad?” Harry shrugged. “Like I said, at least you can speak about it without feeling like a proper idiot.”</p><p>Louis shook his head. He didn’t have the energy to argue with him, nor the urge, surprisingly. Who was he to challenge something Harry had taken the time to think about that Louis hadn’t? Not wanting to dwell on his words, Louis said, “Love, huh?”</p><p>“I thought I loved him. I did things only a fool in love would do. Turns out, I was just a fool.” Harry yawned, letting his head fall to Louis’ shoulder. Not sure what to think of his cuddly contact, Louis combed a hand through his curls. They were a tangled mess, but they were still softer than Louis ever imagined. Next time, Louis would remember for them both to go shower before last call came around. At least for the sake of giving him a proper chance at feeling his normally silky curls thoroughly.</p><p>“You’re not a fool, love,” Louis whispered so quietly he wondered if Harry could hear him through his thick hair. “Why are you still with him?”</p><p>Harry stiffened at that, but he didn’t move. If anything, he scooted closer, wrapping an arm around Louis’ waist. Under normal circumstances, Louis wouldn’t have been able to breathe. “I’m not. Why – did he say that?” These circumstances unquestionably weren’t normal, though. They’d never had this long of a conversation before.</p><p>“He implied it,” Louis confirmed, staring down curiously at the lad. A hint of a smile played at his lips, and when he spoke, he spoke with something along the lines of satisfied.</p><p>“Well, we’re not,” Harry said. “When I got here, he said he ‘felt bad,’ so he offered me a deal. Become his men’s bitch and he’d give me protection. I was in no room to turn down anything – by the time he’d gotten to me, it was my third time in the infirmary - but I did manage to tack on two rules. Condoms and no Nick. So…here I am. I suppose I should have added on that they had to provide the lube, looking back at it.”</p><p>Louis didn’t know how he could retell that story with his eyes closed, as if he was seconds away from drifting off into sleep. He was about to try to find some comforting words, but then Harry snorted, eyes opening to meet Louis’. They were so compelling in the silent cell. He leaned even closer, so that he was speaking with his lips pressed fatally against his ear. It was like he was shooting lightning into his body, directly from those sinfully red lips. “Funny thing is, I’ve never been much of a bottom. Before, it was alright, but never my first preference, but Nick only knew me as a bottom. Now, god, I hate it.”</p><p>Louis made a whine of protest, pulling him so that his head rested in his lap as Louis undid his scarf and combed through his tangles, trying to soothe him into rest. The release of his hair sent his tantalizing smell into the air, and it made Louis’ skin tingle. “Understandable,” he sighed dismally. “Bottoming can be so much fun, though. With the right partner.”</p><p>Eyes closed, Harry’s pleased smile surprised Louis. In the faint light, he could spot a dimple, which was just rightfully unfair. He already had a perfect, cheeky smile, and now he also had a deadly dimple that made Louis really concerned he might sprout a semi from. “How would you know?”</p><p>Louis grinned, hating that he enjoyed where this conversation had turned to. “I’m a fan of any beautiful body,” he said. “Publicly, I was kept in the closet because, let’s face it, the footie players - more specifically, the coaches - of the world aren’t the most progressive. So dating girls was convenient, but I know what I like.”</p><p>Harry giggled, honest to God giggled. Louis spent too long gaping at him to join in, but he was glad he didn’t. That sound could have put him right to sleep on the cement floor and he’d have the best sleep of his life. “Sometimes, you just want a cock up your arse, hmm?”</p><p>Louis tugged a little harsher on one of Harry’s curls as he leaned down to nip at his ear. They still kept their whispering to a minimum. “To put it graphically, yes, Angel. Jesus.”</p><p>Harry giggled again, sighing softly as it faded away. “Good, lad. Good.”</p><p>Louis was almost certain he was asleep at this point. He stared at him another minute longer before growing the courage to ask him again. He’d been rejected so many times, but he really hoped tonight had changed things. It had to have. The air around them lacked the urge to kill one another. It was replaced with something else. Awe mixed with an unnameable feeling. </p><p>“Harry?” Louis whispered directly into his ear. Harry jumped slightly, eyes searching until they found Louis’. “Harry, stay with me.”</p><p>He hadn’t meant it to sound like he was inviting him over to his house – to his bed, but he was in a way. As much as he hated admitting it, for the time being, Louis’ home consisted of Niall, Zayn, and Liam when he joined them for lunch (he still detested therapist-Liam). Preston and his friends didn’t count. They were already threatening to leave if they didn’t get lube soon, though Louis did get another week out of them. Luckily, he didn’t need it.</p><p>“Please.” Harry tightened his hold around Louis’ waist. He was about to point out that wasn’t how he had meant it, but then Harry’s breathing hit his bare skin where his shirt had ridden up, and he was caught in a spell. Before he knew it, he’d taken off his prosthetic, lied down, and pulled Harry up, too.</p><p>Louis spent the night with Harry in his arms. He was right where he wanted him, but Louis feared he was still so far away.</p><p>. . .</p><p>Waking to a cute little bum pressed against his crotch was not something Louis had been expecting, though he should have considering how they’d fallen asleep. It still was a shock to him, though, when the guards started pounding on the bars with their batons to wake them up that Harry was curled up in front of him on his bed. He seemed much smaller when he was sleeping. Without an expression to hold, he looked downright celestial. His lips were protruded and slightly chapped, showing off their red plumpness for Louis to admire. His eyelashes spread out against his rosy cheeks, and his hair was all over the place. Louis couldn’t complain about it tickling his nose because it was too beautiful framing the sculpted face of an angel wrapped in his arms.</p><p>Unfortunately, it had to end.</p><p>Harry woke slightly, and he began to fully wake, but Louis quickly covered his ears with his hands until the banging stopped. One eye opened to look up curiously at Louis, but he offered him the nicest smile he could manage so early in the morning (which probably wasn’t very nice), and Harry went back to sleep peacefully, Louis petting through his hair until he felt he was soothed enough for him to move.</p><p>He got up, pulling on the hunk of metal whilst trying to jostle the bed as little as possible, which was a difficult feat considering their beds were as forgiving as wood. Louis changed quickly, deciding not to spend time going to the showers. Instead, he stripped down with his back to the bars and hurriedly pulled on a fresh jumpsuit. “Could these get uglier?”</p><p>“Why don’t you take it off again,” came a gravelly voice. “See if it helps the look.” Louis jumped, spinning around to find Harry lazily staring at him. “Looked better on the floor to me, personally.” His voice was so deep it had the hair on the back of Louis’ neck stand on end. His words only made it that much worse. Considering he was just getting over the morning wood he’d had, this made a semi pop back that much easier. The disheveled, post-sex look he was sprouting also wasn’t helping.</p><p>“Are you saying my arse doesn’t look great in this?” Louis feigned to be hurt. “Well, I’ll just leave then.”</p><p>Harry snorted lazily, that glorious smile coming onto his face again. It made Louis smirk, but he tried to hide it as he walked past while Harry ran a hand through those messy curls Louis was sure he was addicted to already. The cell now open, Louis was almost out the door when Harry leaned forward and slapped his bum.</p><p>“Oi! Hands to yourself, you perv,” Louis said, voice cracking as he looked back at Harry. He couldn’t get the feeling of his hands on his bum, of how large his hand was when he’d offered him a slightly rough pat.</p><p>“Sure thing,” Harry drawled, voice so deep Louis felt it in his spine.</p><p>“Stupid posh accent,” Louis grumbled.”</p><p>“Heard that.”</p><p>“Bugger off!”</p><p>. . .</p><p>Zayn kicked the ball a meter above Louis’ head. “Sorry,” he called, though he didn’t seem that sorry. Footie was never too interesting to Zayn, so it was a relief when he noticed Niall jogging across the pitch. “Good. Kick with him and give me your glasses.”</p><p>Louis snorted. He knew what Zayn did with glasses. “What happened to yours?”</p><p>Zayn scowled, speaking with surprising anger. “I’m not allowed glasses anymore. Thank you, Dr. Payne.”</p><p>“Why?” Louis chortled.</p><p>“I told him about how the guards kept breaking my glasses when they, you know, saw me messing around with them.” Zayn’s lips lifted into that smirk that always scared Louis. Sometimes, it was easy to forget that Zayn enjoyed the reason that sent him to prison. Liam probably thought he was one of those cases that should have been sent to a mental facility. “So he got me contacts. Yay.”</p><p>He was not as enthused as his words would seem. Louis snorted, trying not to laugh. “He meant well, Zayn,” he shrugged as Niall kicked the ball their way. “Try to keep mine from getting broken, alrigh’?”</p><p>“Won’t be a problem now.” Zayn grinned, slowly sitting back on the grass and glancing at the sun. “The guards don’t come near the twins, and they’re over there…wrestling?”</p><p>“I really hope that’s wrestling.” Niall shuddered as he threw an arm around Louis. “How is it you kick better with your metal peg leg than Zayn does with his real foot?”</p><p>Louis offered him an upbeat smile. “It’s a talent.” He shrugged, eyes trailing across the yard to spot Grimshaw walking. Harry was a step behind him. His gate was tilted again, but it wasn’t as bad as before. Louis huffed. He supposed even with lube, if the guy didn’t warm him up with care he’d still get hurt. “I really wonder how Harry manages to shit.”</p><p>Zayn grinned. “That’s an odd thought, Tommo.”</p><p>“What do you think they’re talking about?” Louis pondered.</p><p>“Oi!” Niall said, jogging backwards. It was in the direction of where Grimshaw and Harry were headed. They had one guy trailing them, and Louis knew that to be Stan. He’d been in prison when Louis had come. Louis had a personal hatred for Stan. He’d nearly forced himself on Louis if Zayn hadn’t showed up. That was how Zayn and him met, but it was still a haunting memory back when Louis had been overwhelmed with the prison life. He quickly learned how to fight and what to flaunt and not. Being deemed a cop killer, unfortunately, had a its benefits in prison. And most inmates loved him from his footie career. It wasn’t hard, but he’d been an idiot in the beginning. “Loverboy! Gonna play or not? Zayn, get him for me, will ya?”</p><p>Zayn shrugged and pressed something to Louis’ good leg. He yelped, jumping away from the flame. “You do have a problem, Pyro!” Louis patted his now blistering burn. Zayn had managed to make a fire from the sun and his glasses, which Louis promptly snatched away, shoving them into his pockets. It didn’t matter. Zayn already had fire dancing on a piece of cardboard, and he was just staring at it. He was in his favorite realm.</p><p>Louis glanced back at Niall and found Nick just to his left. “Coming at you, Nialler!”</p><p>He kicked the ball with his good foot, aiming directly over Niall’s shoulder. It sailed by the blonde Irishman with a whoosh, making contact with alarming speed against Nick Grimshaw’s face.</p><p>“Ouch!” Louis snickered. “That’ll hurt.” Harry looked over at Louis’ mouth dropping open in awe. Louis simply smirked and gave him a wink. Nick was now climbing to his feet, but when Stan made to move toward Louis, he held out a hand, stalking toward Louis with the ball in his own arms. “Hey, mate, I’m not sure if you’re aware of the game, but you’re not allowed to use your hands.”</p><p>Nick threw the ball down in frustration centimeters from his face. “You’re asking for it, Tomlinson. Just know when you find a shiv in your back who it’s from. And guess who gets to be the guy to deliver the blow?” Nick seethed, eyes wild and crazed. Louis was pushing him to the edge and he’d hardly even had to try. Harry was definitely right that Nick never loved him because a man as manipulative as Nick wasn’t capable of true love, but he was definitely possessive of him, even now. He turned around, finger giving the fatal sentence to Harry, who was nervously being kept still by Stan meters away from them, out of ear shot. “Why do you think you got put in his cell after mine? You really think it was coincidence?”</p><p>With a hand behind his back gripping his other arm, Louis let his nails dig into his skin. He should have thought about that, but he’d been too busy ogling over Harry. Stupid hot abs. “You know, Grimmy, your words come off angry, but your body comes off turned on, and frankly, I just don’t see you like that.” Louis took one large, noticeable step away for emphasis. Nick’s eye twitched. “But if that is the case, I can’t wait to have fun in retaliation. An eye for an eye, right? I’d be scared if I were you. Maybe your men are thorough, but they’re quite professional. The twins, on the other hand…well, they might very well be fucking each other over there. They’re a bit on the far side of crazy, if you didn’t know.”</p><p>Nick was panting from rage. “Maybe I’ll start with your friends first. Or your family? Can’t wait for you to see your world crash and burn.”</p><p>A chill ran down his spine. Louis’ eyes darted to a nervous looking Niall as he switched his weight back and forth between his feet. The fire Zayn was messing with let out a small crackle into the air. His shining sisters’ faces flashed before his eyes, each making his throat clog more. Then, he thought of his boy, tucked away in safety, so innocent and perfect. There wasn’t a chance his deadbeat father was going to get him harmed.</p><p>Louis stepped closer, forcing a light smile on his face. He couldn’t reveal how affected he was from the moot threat. “I’ve already been there, mate.” He let his eyes drift over his shoulder, locking on the concerned Harry Styles watching them. The words just spewed out of his mouth. “Well, in the meantime, I’ll have to live my life to the fullest. Why don’t you ask your mate Harry what that means? Funny thing is, he never charges me a dime for our time together.”</p><p>His fist came out of nowhere, knocking Louis onto his back. The ground was harder than he’d expected, most likely due to the cold winter coming on soon. Either way, it was unforgiving to the human body, the likes of which Louis soon found sprawled on top of him.</p><p>Before Nick could land another punch, Louis rolled over, kicking out with his metal foot and clipping Nick square in the face. With his back turned to the man, Louis assumed he’d be out for a moment, but he was wrong. Suddenly, pressure was pulling him back by that same left leg that had caused Nick to bleed from his forehead heavily. With a shout of pain, Louis felt his prosthetic detach from him completely.</p><p>Louis rolled over as Nick pinned him, ready to pummel him full of punches, but then Nick shouted loudly and jumped away. “How the fuck did you get fire in here?”</p><p>Louis sat up in time to see the two twins stalking past him and Zayn with eager fists clenched. Stan was busy with Harry, who seemed to be fighting to break free of his hold. His heart hoped it was to help Louis out, and surely it must be, right? Why else would Stan be grabbing onto Harry and not helping Nick?</p><p>When Harry met Louis’ eyes with desperation, and maybe the slightest inkling of hope, Louis had to look away. He couldn’t offer the man he’d probably sentenced to a beating a smile. He knew what he’d implied. He knew how Nick would most likely react - taking the threats sent against Louis out on Harry in hopes it would deter Louis. He knew, but he couldn’t help it. Harry was only so much to Louis, but his family was more. His friends were more. They were by his side, at least. If only Harry would have been, too.</p><p>The guards came running with pepper spray at the ready. Nick wasn’t moving underneath the pile of the twins, but they all got sprayed anyway. Louis, unable to move away fast enough, got sprayed a good bit, too.</p><p>“Who the fuck got fire in here?” barked one of the guards in an eerily similar way to Nick’s words. Louis opened his mouth, ready to take the blame for his savior Zayn Malik, but then the guards saw him. “Why did I even ask, Pyro? That’s four days in solitaire for you, you fucking nutter.”</p><p>The guard unceremoniously yanked Zayn to his feet. He was a fuming small thing and didn’t even try to resist being handcuffed, though the furious snarling expression he wore was enough to curse anyone to days of pain.</p><p>“Who started this?”</p><p>It was Modest and his shrilly voice. Louis said Nick, but he just laughed and threw Louis his prosthetic leg at him so hard his chest was going to bruise from the impact. Louis huffed, eyes daring to challenge the guard this time when he began to say it was he who started it.</p><p>“Me,” Zayn coughed, knowing fully well that Nick was too busy crying his eyes out from the pepper spray to argue his point. Louis himself had hot tears running down his cheeks, but all it did was spread the burning sensation all over his face. “I did it.”</p><p>Modest didn’t seem convinced, but that was good enough for the guard holding Zayn. “Right then,” he huffed noticing that the twins had both scrambled off despite the pepper spray. “We’ll take the trouble maker for a visit with the warden.”</p><p>“No!” Louis shouted, lunging forward but finding it impossible to move very far without both of his legs. The guard already had their backs on him, so they didn’t hear a word he shouted. Zayn glanced behind him and winked, lips curved in a content expression. Whatever that meant, it didn’t calm Louis near the amount Zayn had intended it to.</p><p>Modest turned on Louis and readjusted his belt. “You need a cooling off period, as well,” he decided. “Come along.”</p><p>Louis was practically dragged away, seeing as he hadn’t been given time to properly put on his prosthetic again. It was filled with dirt and grass now, anyways. He didn’t glance behind him to see if Harry was watching. He probably was, but Louis wished he wouldn’t. He didn’t enjoy playing the pity card. Just because Modest beat him senseless and took him into a holding cell for the rest of the day didn’t make up for the fact that he had most definitely risked Harry’s very life.</p><p>God, the more he tried to become a better person, the worse he got.</p><p>. . .</p><p>Expecting solitaire and getting placed in the sweat box instead was only a minor improvement. Louis personally preferred the sweat box, but many inmates would argue such a statement. If he was being honest, he was surprised they didn’t put him in solitaire. General rule was the sweat box, but most guards, and certainly Modest, knew which one prominent inmates hated more. Louis Tomlinson would rather have the sweat box for a month than be placed in solitaire for a week.</p><p>He’d been in there twice.</p><p>It was horrifying.</p><p>Ironically, the sweat box never caused anyone to sweat. England was far too cold for that. They took the design off of American prisons, but they should have called it the ice box. Louis genuinely thought he’d lose a few toes the first time he’d been placed in there.</p><p>“We got a new one,” cackled an inmate in a nearby box. Louis could make that out to be one of his older clan members.</p><p>“Looks like I’m here to spring you, mate,” Louis said with a grin.</p><p>“T-Tommo!” Pasco said through shivering teeth. There were only three boxes in the courtyard out front, but they were constantly being used. It was a shock there weren’t more. Each box was ‘insulted’ enough to pass inspections, but they normally stripped it of half the required insulation, or so Louis suspected. They froze their butts off outside at night. Most only spent one night in there before the guards found them to be getting the beginnings of frost bite; that was when they sprung them.</p><p>“How long have you been in here?” Louis asked as they reattached Pasco’s cuffs. Louis had thought Pasco had been released since he hadn’t seen him around. He was one of his more loyal ‘bodyguards.’ Nobody really messed with a 6’5” guy who’d grown up in the Bronx way over in America with skin darker than Zayn’s soul. He’d somehow made his way to England escaping police, but then he’d found his way back into crime. He happened to adore Louis, calling him ‘cute.’ He wasn’t into men, though, so Louis definitely found it insulting, but Pasco took his insults back without shanking him; that was how Louis knew he was loyal.</p><p>“Took me out of solitaire two days ago,” Pasco shuddered. “They’ve been throwing me in here to ‘wake me up’ every couple of hours.” When he stepped into the fading light, Louis understood why. He was much thinner than he’d remembered. His eyes were bloodshot and his fingers were bleeding, probably from getting bitten away. Louis understood immensely. “Looks like I’m done now.”</p><p>Louis wanted to ask what he’d done to get put in solitaire for so long that Louis hadn’t even noticed he was here, but the guard was already shoving him along. Modest undid his own cuffs and shoved him toward the box, but Louis fought against his hold, calling out to Pasco.</p><p>“Harry Styles!” Louis yelled. Pasco turned around and raised an eyebrow. “Protect him, alright? Grimshaw doesn’t touch him!”</p><p>Pasco grinned, brilliant teeth glinting in the moonlight and casting an eerie glow in his direction. His guard tugged him violently. “’Bottomless Bitch boy’ Styles? Glad to have you back, Tommo, even if I don’t get your fucked up ways. You got it.”</p><p>His heart felt softer. Pasco would look after Harry. He’d be safe. After basically throwing him under the bus, Louis had resigned himself to Harry going back to hating him ten times worse than before. Aside from that, Nick would be livid enough to possibly truly hurt Harry if he thought they were shagging. The idea of Louis causing him any injury was enough make him want to have a go at every guard in this place to protect him.</p><p>Still, as he got shoved into the freezing box with the winds howling high around him, Louis was relieved. Harry would be protected. He’d be fine.</p><p>Louis tried not to think about it much, or the fact that this protective instinct of Harry had only gotten a thousand times worse.</p><p>. . .</p><p>Liam was the one to spring him from the box. He’d been shivering in the box all night, hardly getting any sleep at all. Now, it was the middle of the day and the day was only halfway through, if the still partial feeling in his fingers told Louis anything.</p><p>“Why would you let Zayn take the fall for that?” Liam hissed as he helped Louis to his feet outside. He could hardly feel his limbs, let alone move them properly. Pasco had made it seem so easy. “I had hopes of reducing his sentence. I told him so, too.”</p><p>Louis wrapped the blanket Liam offered around himself tightly, chirping in an impossibly slow pace, “T-there’s y-your mistake. Z-Zayn doesn’t want-t-t out.”</p><p>Liam threw him an indignant look. They passed the entrance into the jail, making their way to the workshop. Louis almost asked to be taken into the infirmary, but then he recalled today was a music day. “Don’t be daft. Of course, he does.”</p><p>Louis managed a half snort. “He’d n-never trust himself. Likes it too much. Doesn’t like t-the asylums, t-though.”</p><p>Liam didn’t respond, and he always responded. Louis normally would have looked further into his odd behavior, but then he felt he rush of warm air that always accompanied the workshop. He fell to his knees as agonizing feeling spread through his body. It was heaven and hell at the same time.</p><p>“Jesus, is he okay?”</p><p>Niall and James quickly had their hands under Louis’ shoulders and were carrying him up the stairs to his place. “Shouldn’t he be in the infirmary?”</p><p>Liam waved a hand. “I’ve got it set up in here. I can’t afford to have three of you all missing, can I?”</p><p>“Three?” Louis questioned, gut sinking at the only other possible member of their band to be missing. “Oh god! Is Haz alrigh’? I fucked him up, didn’t I? Shit, fucking hell, I – oh.”</p><p>They’d entered the small room finally, and instead of not seeing Harry there at all, he was certainly there. Except, he was not looking in his prime. Of course, Louis thought he definitely pulled off the swollen eye and multiple bruises well.</p><p>Louis scrambled to get up and run to Harry, but the moment his good foot touched the ground, he stumbled over them. Considering he was still getting feeling back in his foot, it wasn’t much of a surprise. Instead of staring with anger, though, Harry laughed. The smile hardly spread across half his face, and a few cuts opened back up, but the smugness was there.</p><p>“You’re worse off than me.” Harry grinned as he looked at him with the one eye that wasn’t swollen shut. Louis bit his lip because that was almost a complete lie.</p><p>“Harry, I – fuck, I’m so sorry.” Louis groaned, allowing the boys to lay him out on the same couch as Harry.</p><p>“Ooo, lover’s quarrel?” James grinned, offering them a wink. Louis’ head whipped around so fast it gave him whiplash.</p><p>“We’re not lovers!” he hissed and then felt ten times worse. Eyes turning on Harry, he fully expected to go back to the silent treatment completely. However, he was greeted with a half-smile; Harry Styles was amused. “Grimshaw did that to you because he thought we were though, right?”</p><p>Harry bit his broken lip and nodded. Niall chuckled. “Did it himself, too,” Niall said as if this was the most exciting news in months. It probably was, honestly. Not wanting to, Louis did look away knowing Niall was the quickest way to information. “Harry, you really should have taken advantage of that and kicked his arse. He’s a small little thing.”</p><p>Harry didn’t give much response to that, instead focusing on grabbing Louis’ feet and stuffing them under his bum. The sudden amount of warmth had Louis near tears.</p><p>Liam hurriedly came over with steaming hot cloths, draping them around Louis’ neck and hands. “How are your fingers and toes? Can you move them?”</p><p>Louis tried, and Harry exaggeratedly jumped up. “He can wiggle them alright!’”</p><p>Louis managed a nervous laugh. “Why didn’t you hit him, Harry?” He felt too guilty to call him Angel, even if now he was acting as Louis’ personal guardian angel.</p><p>Harry shrugged, focusing his eyes elsewhere, feigning disinterest. A pit formed in Louis’ stomach because he had a horrible feeling he knew why he didn’t hit him. Regardless that Harry was a computer tech, the NCA definitely trained him basic maneuvers. Harry didn’t want to fight back. It sickened Louis enough to smother his face with a throw pillow. There was a small added bonus of his nose being warmed.</p><p>“It was over quick,” Harry muttered.</p><p>“That’s right! Pasco came and scared Grimshaw off before he was even in a ten foot radius of the prick,” James said with a pleased giggle. “I didn’t even know he was out from the last time he beat him up.”</p><p>Louis looked up with interest. “That’s what got him solitaire for so long?”</p><p>James nodded as he physically lifted Louis up and sat him on his lap. When Louis tried to move, James simply petted him. “Shh. Shh. You’re my cat that needs warmed.”</p><p>Louis scowled, but his body heat was a nice reminder that he was no longer an icicle. When Louis turned his cheek into James’ surprisingly pleasant caress, Liam and Niall burst out laughing, clutching their stomachs. Harry, though, merely met Louis’ eyes with a silent message that he didn’t understand. So Louis hopped off and lied his head in James’ lap, digging his toes back under Harry’s bottom, which pulled out a half smile from him.</p><p>“So, Angel, does that mean you’re with us now?” Louis grinned devilishly. Harry frowned momentarily.</p><p>Harry let his head fall back on the couch. “I guess it does, Tommo.”</p><p>The others all cheered, but Louis didn’t miss the way he called him Tommo. Harry had never called him anything but Louis or Lou before, something Louis really only allowed Harry alone to do, come to think of it. He just liked the way he real name came off his lips, not the one every football fan knew him by.</p><p>They met eyes, with Harry’s one still being closed, and the message was clear; Louis was not forgiven for the lie he’d told Nick.</p><p>Well, it was a step in the right direction overall, Louis supposed, even if it didn’t feel like one.</p><p>“Okay, well, I had wanted to do vocals today since Louis and Harry had a decent bit of song written, but now that Zayn’s in solitaire…” Liam hissed pointedly in Louis’ direction. He calmly glanced away. “Well, really, I figured we needed a decent excuse to spring Tommo out from the freezer.”</p><p>Louis was happily surprised that Liam called him Tommo. Looking around, Louis snorted at the scene. These were definitely his closest mates, and he figured he trusted them enough to vaguely consider them friends. “You do know you all can call me Louis, right? I mean, that is my name. Just in here, at least.”</p><p>“Wow, I am truly honored, Lou,” James excitedly shook his shoulders, and Louis sent him a glare.</p><p>“I said Louis. Not Lou,” he hissed, eyes flickering to Harry. He did want to keep a special name just for him, even if Harry would never forgive him enough to use it.</p><p>“Right, right. Giant difference there…” James snickered. Harry gave him a good wack on his head, so he stopped, frowning. “Fine then. Anyhow, Liam, why don’t I step in for Zayn? I mean, after all, you can hardly tell the difference.”</p><p>Liam laughed nervously, looking discretely to the others for help. Louis chuckled, enjoying seeing them all squirm. “Why don’t you give it a go, Liam? You set us up, after all.”</p><p>Biting his lip, the man glanced around the room hesitantly. Louis rolled his eyes. James even offered to direct them while he stepped in, so Liam finally agreed. “Perfect! Right, so Niall and I will share Zayn’s high notes together. Except, Haz, I think you could really pull off this one in…”</p><p>When Liam sang, it was like he was the missing piece to their puzzle. Together, the four of them sounded like something serious. Despite the crazy shit going down in the prison, all Louis could think about was how perfect they’d sound once they got Zayn’s high notes back. It was a sound so unique yet perfectly blended it was painful to imagine them not making some of the best music.</p><p>By the end of the session, none of the boys wanted to leave. James was cracking jokes left and right, trying to delay Liam’s insistence that they really must be going. Luckily, Louis had regained all feeling in his extremities by this point, so when they traveled to the showers, he was feeling much better.</p><p>Nick was nowhere to be found. The rest of his usual gang gave Louis the death stare, but overall, it was peaceful. Every time the door opened, half the table flinched and turned to ensure it wasn’t Nick, but Louis still counted it as a success. If you weren’t half paranoid in jail, you lost. Hard.</p><p>It was only when Louis got back from his shower that he was alone with Harry. He was sitting on Louis’ bed, waiting, as if not being on Louis’ bed would cause the man to somehow miss him. Such a silly thought.</p><p>“Harry.” Louis said, voice as confident as a child getting caught by their parent. Harry looked over from the book in his hands, eyes open and telling. There was no anger visible, only curiosity. Neither spoke for some time, just looking at each other, until a guard walking past shoved Louis in his cell and slammed it shut.</p><p>“Hi,” Harry said, voice rough. His hair were still wet from the shower he had, but it was already becoming curly again. “I’m not upset.”</p><p>“You’re not?” Louis hesitated before moving closer, taking the seat beside the taller figure. He was still holding his breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop. “You should be. I was stupid. It could have gotten you killed.”</p><p>Harry snorted. “No. I could have stopped the fight. He asked if what you said was true, you know. And I was about to say no, but…I didn’t. I just asked why he cared. Then he threw the ‘free business with the enemy’ card at me, and I kind of snapped. I was tired of being his puppet, and you gave me an out, so thank you.”</p><p>Louis almost really liked the sound of that. It was almost very promising for him. It was definitely promising for his team, but there was that hesitation Harry had. “You’re welcome, I suppose. I was really protecting my little lad, but if the shoe fits…can I ask you something?”</p><p>Harry leaned back against the wall at the head of the bed, shifting his feet so they rested over Louis’ lap. Normally, the extra touching would thrill Louis, but not tonight. Tonight already felt like a loss. “You are the boss.”</p><p>Louis fixed him with a look. “Not in here, Harry. We’re...mates.”</p><p>Harry giggled slightly. “I know. Just wanted to hear you say it.”</p><p>Louis rolled his eyes affectionately before he took a breath, wishing he didn’t have to hear the answer he knew he was going to hear. “You didn’t punch him. And I think you didn’t deny my claim about us together because, well – are you still in love with Nick?”</p><p>Harry’s gaze didn’t waver, but Louis’ did. He knew the answer, and he hated it. It upset him more than he wanted. He also cursed Liam for making him acknowledge he sort of had feelings for his stupid, gorgeous cellmate. It was no big deal, Louis assured, but it just sucked.</p><p>“No.”</p><p>Louis’ eyes snapped upward, staring into those glimmering, shifting green orbs with scrutiny. “Yes, you are. Don’t lie. I know are.”</p><p>Harry snorted. “Then you know wrong.”</p><p>“Explain then. There gotta be some reason you didn’t hit him.”</p><p>Harry bit his lip, eyes running down Louis momentarily before he spoke. “If I explain, then I want to get something from it.” Louis’ nostrils flared. This whole goddy place was all about deals and trades. Nevertheless, he shrugged, enticing Harry to make the deal. “I want to sleep in your bed.”</p><p>His reaction was so fast, he hardly recognized the intensity of his outburst. “Not without me in it! It’s the best mattress I’ve ever gotten here!”</p><p>“Yeah,” Harry nodded, eyes wide and open, as if that had been obvious. Maybe it had been. Louis struggled to force a smirk off his lips. “I mean just sleep, you horny bastard. I slept better than any other night I’ve been here.”</p><p>Louis threw his head back laughing, and then he was crawling up to lie beside Harry, head nuzzled into his side. “I like your deals, Angel.” Harry laughed. He ran a hand up Louis’ neck and into his hair, sending chills through his whole body. Slowly, he began to move his thumb back and forth in a manner that was so calming it was putting Louis to sleep. “Alright. You’re supposedly over Grimshaw. Let’s hear it then.”</p><p>Harry sighed, like it was a pain to have to do such a thing. “Maybe there are feelings left about him, but I didn’t hit him because I’m not a violent person. He wasn’t threatening anything important, and a physical beating? That’s nothing. If I had hit him…things could have been a lot worse.”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>Harry glanced wearily at him. “I was essentially ending our agreement. The one that kept him and the guards away from me. After I snapped at him, I realized how stupid it was. I had no back up. No way to…you know. Keep them off me,” he gulped, averting his gaze momentarily at the onslaught of fears that took over him. Louis’ heart clenched in his chest. He pushed upward, so he was sitting with Harry now, and wound his arm around his chest, squeezing tightly, as if that would expel all the fear.</p><p>“I swear, Haz, you won’t have to worry about that much longer. For now, I’ll make sure you’re not left alone, okay? That will not happen to you.” Louis growled, voice rougher than he’d intended.</p><p>Harry sighed, leaning his head against Louis’. Their shared heat made this cell feel a lot warmer. “Thank you, Louis. You don’t have to go to such lengths-,”</p><p>“Of course, I do,” he pouted. “You’re an angel. You should be treated like one.”</p><p>Harry snorted. “Wow. Such a sweet talker, Lou.”</p><p>Lou. The name made him smile.</p><p>“Only for you,” Louis said before he realized how big of a statement that was, so he quickly added. “So why didn’t you deny that we had sex? Was it really just to get out?”</p><p>Harry looked down at him with a bright smile that Louis swore he’d never seen before. It was so warm, inviting, open, and overall, happy. “Why deny such a nice claim? Besides, the look on Nick’s face was priceless. He never thought I could move on, I think.”</p><p>Move on. Did that mean he moved on? To Louis or in general? What did he mean by nice claim? Did that mean he wasn’t opposed to the idea?</p><p>“Well, to be fair, I said I fucked you, but if we had sex, I would much rather prefer the other way around,” Louis said hotly, because he didn’t know how to progress further from this.</p><p>Harry hummed. “I agree.”</p><p>They were silent for a while, both just breathing in the other’s heat. Harry smelled like coconuts, and Louis seriously wondered how that was possible. Maybe he got it from Nick’s trading deals. Well, he was certain he’d do anything to continue bringing in that soap because it was making Louis’ head spin. “Haz, I know you’re not in the need for lube anymore, but would you mind helping us sneak it in? The kitchen is the best access to the outside world. Normally, I can get it snuck in other ways, but I have a feeling it’s going to be the new currency around here and Liam’s contributions won’t be enough.”</p><p>Harry’s hands were busy twirling in Louis’ hair, which was growing longer by the week. He made sure to trim his facial hair when it got too long, but his hair was nearing the back of his neck, curling a bit at the end. It was nothing compared to Harry’s curls that would likely reach his shoulders in a month’s span.</p><p>“If you can show me how, of course. I want to help out, you know, like the rest of you,” Harry said, grabbing Louis’ attention.</p><p>He really didn’t realize how much of a help he already was. Harry was so many things. He was something he now had that Nick didn’t. He was something Nick not just wanted, but also needed to appease his non-gang members. He was the turning point against Nick…but he was also so much more. He was the light at the end of the tunnel. He was the water in the desert. He was the only person Louis actively strived to get close to. He was the only person Louis found comfort in. He was the only way for Louis to finally, finally find some relief in this gruesome place.</p><p>“I’m not like Nick, Harry. This isn’t a give and take type of deal. This is…” Louis faltered, not knowing exactly what to call themselves. He never got around to giving them an official name last time he was here, mainly because he didn’t have much opposition after he beat the previous alpha of the prison black and blue. Then, the words of none other than Liam fucking Payne hit him, and despite how much he loathed admitting it, it was extremely accurate. “It’s a family. A violent family, but a family. Once you’re close enough, which you are.”</p><p>Harry’s smile was blurred with relief, hope, and something a little deeper. It was breathtaking, so much so that Louis found him grinning right back. Even as the lights went out and they curled up on the small bed, Louis half lying on top of Harry, their smiles could still be pointed out among the low light.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Break</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Alright, you fucking broke me.” Louis plopped himself down on the couch with a scowl.</p><p>“Do explain,” Liam said, eyes roaming from the page he was writing on at his desk to finally settle on Louis. He had blue rings under his eyes, and the frown lines in his forehead seemed more pronounced today, as if he hadn’t slept all night.</p><p>“You were right, alrigh’? I do like it here sometimes. It’s – I sound like a bloody soap opera – but it’s the closest family I’ve got. Other than my son, but he has a limited vocabulary. So. Happy now?”</p><p>Liam smirked, such an unusual look on him. “I’m glad to hear it. You need a support system here.”</p><p>“Oh, bloody hell.” Louis groaned, instantly regretting his decision to speak to the man again.</p><p>“Now the bigger question is why don’t you have much of a family on the outside?” Liam asked. Louis’ eyes narrowed. He knew these answers. He had to, but clearly the goal was for him to talk about it and express his feelings. This therapy thing was getting on his nerves. He put up with it for the benefits, but he was calling bullshit on this alone.</p><p>“Why do you even care about me, Liam? I’m not a serial killer – I didn’t want to kill those people. I’m not even an extremely violent person – or I wasn’t before I got here. So why do you care about what I think?” Louis snarled suddenly, surmising even himself with the turn in the conversation. Maybe he stretched the truth a bit, considering he’d had a few too many red cards in his prime to be called passive, but the point was still valid.</p><p>Blinking, Liam didn’t even attempt to hide the small hint of a smile growing on his face. He walked around and leaned against the desk, arms crossed as he surveyed Louis for about the hundredth time.</p><p>“And now we’re getting somewhere,” he said smugly. Louis felt a strong urge to hit him. He didn’t know where this was coming from. Things were finally looking up for him, but god, it was a rush of emotions he suddenly couldn’t hold back. “You’re angry. That’s good. When you first got here, I worried nothing would crack you. I’m guessing this has to do with Harry?”</p><p>“So what if it does?” Louis sneered. He knew he saw Harry as well, right before him, specifically. It was good to hear Harry had been talking about him, he supposed, but it didn’t mean he wanted to talk to Liam about it.</p><p>“It doesn’t matter, but I like it. I like seeing you get close to someone.” Liam mused, fingers drumming on his clipboard. “Have you ever loved someone, Louis? Romantically, I mean.”</p><p>Louis huffed, leaning back into the couch and crossing his arms, as well. “Not really. Football always got in the way.”</p><p>Liam hummed. Louis hated when he hummed. “Do you thin-?”</p><p>“I’m going to stop you there, mate. This thing for Harry? It’s nothing and will lead to nothing. He’s a cop and I’m a cop killer. Whatever we are in here is temporary.”</p><p>Liam frowned. “After your fights, you’ll likely be here for 5 years, Louis.” Originally, it had been two years with good behavior, but it was to be expected that the warden ‘added’ on time for each fight he got in. Louis had been told each time, but he didn’t need to be notified with a note on his bed. He knew the warden could stack as much time as he wanted on him. He’d always been a target because of his name. The warden surely hated him for it, or something. It was a miracle he ever got out the first time around. “It doesn’t have to be temporary. Harry has fifteen years here, sure, but he has a good record. I bet he’ll get a few years knocked down.”</p><p>Louis rolled his eyes. “I don’t care. He’d be great to pass the time with, but my focus is getting back to my son before he’s no longer a child.”</p><p>Liam sighed, seeming to give up on that, which was good. Louis could not hold himself responsible for what he said about Harry anyways. He knew nothing when it came to love, but he wasn’t going to get advice from stick-up-his-butt Dr. Liam Payne.</p><p>“Speaking of Freddie. Why hasn’t he visited you?”</p><p>Louis snorted loudly, and he began laughing hysterically for a moment. “You really think – god! You really think I’d want my son’s first memories of me to be him visiting me in a fucking prison? Like hell.”</p><p>Liam’s eyes offered a challenge. “So. You’d like him not to know you at all? Growing up without a dad? Like you?”</p><p>A chill ran through Louis’ body. He stiffened, eyes looking straight through Liam. His body warmed to uncomfortable levels, and when he finally gained control again, he realized his nails had dug a hole in the worn leather couch.</p><p>“Louis?”</p><p>“I’m done for today.” Louis announced, eyes bouncing to the window where rain assaulted the window. Liam’s shoulders sank. “You can take away the lube. I don’t care. I’m done ‘sharing.’”</p><p>“Sure. Whatever suits you, right?” Liam walked briskly behind his desk. Louis turned with little interest to look at him. “You know, you could be a good guy again, Louis. You made a mistake, and you can’t fix it, but you don’t have to let that determine who you are for the rest of your life. Who you are for your son. But good people do things for others. They don’t sit around moping about their lives and disregarding everyone around them.”</p><p>“What the fuck are you on about now?” Louis growled, truly scared he’d punch Liam and get ten years tacked on.</p><p>“Zayn! Zayn’s been going mad in solitaire because of you!”</p><p>“He spoke up. Not me.”</p><p>“But you let him! You know he’s not all there all the time, so why would you let him?”</p><p>Louis couldn’t describe what it was, but his gut was twisted, and he was suddenly sure something was wrong. By the look in Liam’s eyes, the strained, distant pain lying there, Louis knew something was not right. “What happened to him?” Liam clenched his jaw, eyes threatening to spill over. “Liam. What the fuck happened to Zayn?”</p><p>“He slit his wrists on a broken lunch tray,” Liam sighed. “It wasn’t deep enough for major damage to occur. I’m only telling you because Zayn said he doesn’t want to be sent away without warning you if that’s the decision. God, he has issues.” Liam was pressing his elbows to his knees, now, pulling at his hair.</p><p>“Fucking Zayn,” Louis’ throat tightened. He looked with dismay at Liam, for once pitying the man. “Was it…was he  really trying to kill himself?”</p><p>Liam shrugged helplessly. “That’s what I have to decide. I have to – to be the one to decide if he goes to a psych ward. The only place he hates more than this.”</p><p>Louis pursed his lips. “Is it possible for him to get out if he goes there?” It was something he and Zayn never talked about. Zayn just said he’d been there twice, and both times, it was like torture. That was before he was fifteen, right after he’d started the fire in his apartment building that resulted in three deaths.</p><p>“I don’t know. I just…I can’t do it. I can’t send him there. He’d hate me.”</p><p>Then, it all clicked. Liam had a thing for Zayn. Suddenly, Louis was sure of this. He wasn’t sure if they’d ever done anything physical – Liam seemed much too goody-two-shoes for that – but Liam had it for him. Honestly, Louis could see Zayn having it for Liam, possibly, in another world, one where he wasn’t so gone.</p><p>“If you truly care for him, you’ll do what will bring him help. As a doctor, you’re going to put your feelings aside.” Louis couldn’t believe he heard himself say such a thing. He was telling him to send his closest mate away. “He’s always needed it. Just…find him somewhere they don’t treat him like shite, alright?”</p><p>Liam nodded glumly. He swore he was about to cry. “I’m sorry. I don’t normally get emotionally invested in my patients. Quite unethical…”</p><p>“There’s just something about Zayn that allures many people,” Louis shrugged. “Not myself, but many.”</p><p>Liam offered a tight smile. This was weird, him sharing something in return. It felt a little better, at least. Now he wasn’t the only lovestruck idiot in the room.</p><p>The timer went off, only reminding Liam and Louis that Zayn wasn’t available for sessions in this room now. They stood slowly, neither sure how to end such an emotional visit. Louis swore he used to be better at hiding his emotions.</p><p>“Thank you, Louis,” Liam clamped a hand on his shoulder. “May I offer some advice?”</p><p>“If you must.”</p><p>“I cannot tell you much about Harry due to HIPPA. You’ve helped him to get to a better place in his life - safe place -, and I do applaud you for that, but I strongly stress to be patient and <em>caring</em> with him. That being said, it may do you some good to be brave with someone emotionally instead of physically.”</p><p>Louis didn’t know what to make of his words. They didn’t make perfect sense, but it left him unsettled. Louis offered a wicked grin to hide the fluttering going on in his stomach. “You just want to see a hot couple hook up and hear about it to fulfill your lack of sex, don’t you?”</p><p>“Shut up, Tommo.”</p><p>. . .</p><p>Louis knew Harry hadn’t had a good day depending on the way he asked to crawl into bed with him. On the bad days, he would shoot glances at Louis for a good five minutes before meekly padding his way over, leaning down and mumbling the request into Louis’ ear. On the good days, Louis often found him already sitting on Louis’ bed, waiting. Today was one of the bad ones, particularly so because he was staring at the ceiling. Louis was going to wait him out and see how long it’d take for him to come over, but there was a panging of sadness in his heart seeing Harry searching his mind alone. It seemed like a scary place at times.</p><p>“My bed’s cold, Curly.” Louis threw his dirty socks at Harry, who didn’t react at first. Then, his lips lifted in an almost compulsory way, and Louis nearly felt bad, but then Harry rolled out of bed in a cuddly-bear like fashion. “What’s wrong, Angel?” Louis asked, twisting out of Harry’s arms so he could face him. In this dim light, he looked so much like a young boy.</p><p>Harry shrugged, but when Louis tugged harshly at one of his curls, he bit his lip and averted his gaze. “Nick. I’m almost sure he’s the reason Modest won’t get off my arse.”</p><p>Louis scowled. They’d been able to keep Nick and his men away from Harry, at least physically. They still goaded him in the open, and two days ago, one of them threw their food back at him when he served him in the kitchen. Louis had gotten that guy shanked with a toothbrush, just in the leg and the toothbrush was short, but the message was still very clear. Harry was not to be messed with.</p><p>Unfortunately, the only guard on their side at the moment was Liam, but he and his nurturing ways were a joke to the other guards, who only saw the prisoners as punching bags. There was little they could do about Modest. Right after Louis’ troubling session with Liam a few weeks ago, Modest had taken Louis into the basement and beaten him until both his lips had busted and his stomach had bruises.</p><p>“Are you okay? Has he done something?” Louis asked, trying to keep his voice calm. It did no use for Harry to think he was angry with him. Nevertheless, he scooted closer, so much so that their breaths mixed. His smelled like fresh coconuts and gentleness, even if that wasn’t actually a smell.</p><p>“It’s dumb,” Harry snorted, but it was forced. His eyes were tired. Louis shook his head. Nothing was dumb when it came to Harry. “Seriously. Like, it’s nothing compared to getting the shit kicked out of you. And it’s laughable considering what used to happen to my bum. I just – he’s always grabbing my bum. And it’s not even a nice bum! It’s…”</p><p>“It’s worrying.” Louis growled, scooting so close their legs intertwined. He grabbed the sides of his face, staring deeply into his green orbs that seemed so vulnerable. “I will find a way to fix this, Haz. Nick hasn’t shown any more open resistance, and we have more of the old members stepping up…just wait. We’ll get a guard or two soon, I swear.”</p><p>Harry rolled his eyes. “Lou, it’s nothing. I dealt with worse power-hungry people back in training. Just annoying, that’s all.”</p><p>His eyes said all that he wouldn’t. He wasn’t saying that he was terrified by it. He wasn’t saying that with each pass, he had no idea where he’d stop. He wasn’t saying that he was terrified of losing the last bit of control he’d finally gained back in his life.</p><p>“I know.” Louis played along with his game. He knew the feeling of not wanting to name his emotions out of fear they’d stay forever. “How can I help you?”</p><p>Harry looked ready to say he didn’t need help – his go to response for everything it seemed – but then he closed his eyes, forehead shifting to rest against Louis’.</p><p>“Hold me?”</p><p>His voice was so small, reminding him of the way Freddie used to after a nightmare. It sickened Louis to know Harry had lived out his nightmares everyday. “Of course, Angel.”</p><p>So Harry turned on his side, and Louis slowly wrapped his arms around Harry’s waist, holding him tight until Louis could feel every inch of Harry’s body. Wrapped in his arms, Harry sighed in content, hands fumbling around until they intertwined with Louis’.</p><p>“Just so we’re both on the same page.” Louis hummed into his ear, lips ghosting across his skin. “Your bum is amazing.”</p><p>Harry giggled, wiggling back into Louis as he hummed delightedly, “Thank you, Lou,” and Louis had hope things would be okay.</p><p>. . .</p><p>Louis had to deal with the lube shipment, which meant he had to talk to someone on the outside to set it up. Luckily for him, he had many sisters who knew many people. Still, that required Lottie coming to see him. He’d sent her a letter last week after Harry offered to help out, but she’d never sent one back, so it was a complete shock when she showed up Tuesday after dinner during visiting hours.</p><p>Liam would be proud.</p><p>He sat down in the uncomfortable chair and waited for Lottie to be directed his way. It felt like it lasted half an hour, and at one point, he wondered if Modest had been pulling his leg the whole time, but then she came into frame wearing some goddy outfit with about three layers of dark clothing and a choker. It was his good old Lottie.</p><p>“Lots! I-,”</p><p>“What do you need, Louis?” Lottie sighed, blue eyes shifting around the place, surveying the environment like she always did. Prisons made her weary. Since her rise to fame in the fashion industry, she placed herself above all this world. Louis was once like her, but somehow, it still hurt. He felt a little sad about it, actually. There were good people in here.</p><p>“I…” Louis trailed off. It shouldn’t have surprised him she asked that. Last time he was here, that was all he called her in for. Nobody ever just showed up on their own, either. Maybe he shouldn’t have been saddened by that. After all, wasn’t that what he’d been wanting? “Er, I need some lube.”</p><p>That grabbed her attention. Her eyebrows shot sky-high, and for the first time in a long time, she looked at him with amusement. “Found yourself a prison bitch, huh?”</p><p>Louis scowled. “Real mature of you, Lottie,” he huffed, deciding not to mention Harry and how badly he wished he could call him his, though not that term specifically. “It’s a seller here. Nobody can get it in, but my mate works in the kitchen. He’s going to help us out.”</p><p>Lottie pursed her lips. “How much?”</p><p>“Let’s get a little under a box full. Pack the top of the box in frozen peas,” Louis said. Harry said they got a shipment of peas in every week. “Make it a weekly order, too. Monday’s.”</p><p>“You think Fallon is our best bet on this?” Lottie asked, mentally running through the list in her head like she normally did. Louis tried not asking for too much at once so as not to overwhelm her.</p><p>“Definitely,” Louis said. He was their best smuggler yet, never once getting caught, most likely due to his ability to crack a joke and divert from the situation at a moment’s notice. “We should start him up on our usual order, too, but through the kitchen. Taking visitors in each week was not efficient. We’ll just need to space out the orders so Harry can hide them. We’re working on getting Niall in the kitchen, too.”</p><p>Lottie faltered. “Niall? You’re not talking about Niall Horan, are you?”</p><p>Louis grinned. “The shite car thief? How do you know him?”</p><p>With a frown, she shook her head. “I don’t. I knew the guy he killed, though. Mark Davis. He was a dick, but he didn’t deserve to get beaten to death.”</p><p>“What are you on about? Niall tried for grand theft auto.”</p><p>“No, he didn’t,” Lottie snorted. “He worked at a high-end bar in London. Always gave me free drinks, come to think of it.” She seemed upset about that fact, but there was also a tinge of blush on her cheeks that now Louis wasn’t sure he was okay with. “Anyways, I never knew him, but he’s recognizable. He got into a bar fight with Mark Davis and ended up bashing the bloke’s head in. Of course, Mark’s family had the best lawyers around, so he’s in for life, I think.”</p><p>“You’re joking,” Louis said.</p><p>“No. I wish. He was rather cute, too,” Lottie shook her head with dismay. It was rare to see her genuinely upset for someone concerning these facilities, himself included. “Not too different than yourself, huh? Except, his was completely accidental. Yours was bound to happen.”</p><p>“Bugger off,” Louis sneered, not appreciating her casual tone laced with full-fledged disgust. He knew how she felt about him. He knew how they all felt about him. It was why he’d never ask any of the others to come visit, especially his mum. His poor mum who he hadn’t spoken a word to since his first imprisonment.</p><p>Lottie picked at her newly polished nails and sighed. “Briana wanted me to relay the message to you that, one, you’re a dick and, two, Freddie won’t stop asking about you.”</p><p>“Yeah. I wonder whose fault that would be,” Louis ground out, heart sinking into his stomach at the thought of Freddie asking for his dad. He could see the blonde little boy turning around every corner, eyes falling with despair every time he failed to find his dad.</p><p>“Gonna let him come visit?” Lottie asked, but she sounded like she already knew the answer. “Or should he join the banned list with Mum?”</p><p>Louis groaned. “You know I didn’t ban her.”</p><p>“You didn’t show up! She waited all day for you, Louis!”</p><p>“Yeah, well, she shouldn’t have come. This is no place for her. This is no place for any of you,” Louis stood abruptly from his chair. “Thank you, Lottie. I owe you.”</p><p>“Do not hang up on me, Louis Tomlinson! I swear – ah!” Lottie gasped as Louis hung the phone up on the wall and turned away from her. Blood boiling, he was shocked to find Niall passing by from his own phone call, beaming smile on his face.</p><p>“Hey, I know her!” Niall said. “That’s not your -?”</p><p>“Sister,” Louis huffed. “She’s all yours, murderer.”</p><p>“Wait…what did you call me? Tommo?”</p><p>Louis ignored him, moving past the guards on his way out without any urge to stop. His anger clogged his ears, so the next thing he knew, he was being yanked back and thrown on the ground, face pressing into the cold cement.</p><p>“I said to face the wall, hands on your head!”</p><p>Louis gritted his teeth, spitting out blood from his newly busted lip. He didn’t care. The foot digging into his back and coldness overtaking his burning skin offered a stark contrast to the anger Lottie brought on him.</p><p>. . .</p><p>Louis was the second one in the band room. Liam was flipping through the lyric sheets Harry and Louis had finished last night. When he saw Louis, Liam put the lyrics down. “I heard your sister visited you.”</p><p>“Not a therapy session, mate.” Louis plopped on the couch, closing his eyes. He was tired today. The work in the mechanic shop was exhausting, and he’d nearly hammered a nail into his hand because he was so distracted. “Where is everyone?”</p><p>“Hold up at dinner,” Liam said.</p><p>“What type of hold up?” Louis asked. Most days, Louis always ate lunch with his mates. Harry wasn’t able to make breakfast or dinner because he was working. Dinner was the most vulnerable times, though. Nick’s crew always edged close to them until Preston stood up, but that was their only big man at dinner. Luckily, Niall, Louis, and James were enough to hold them off, but Louis skipped today. He was still thriving about Lottie’s visit.</p><p>“Nick’s gang,” Liam said with a grave voice, “They went after Harry again, but the guards got to them before anything serious happened. Niall was the only one punished, but he’s free now.”</p><p>Louis grimaced. He really needed to work on their guard angle. It was growing more and more unsafe for Harry.</p><p>When the door opened, he was contemplating his options, staring at the tattoos on his wrist. “Oh my god, Lou! What happened?”</p><p>“Huh?” Louis looked up with confusion.</p><p>Harry was at his side in seconds, not bothering to explain himself as his fingers gently gripped his jaw, angling Louis’ face upward. Softly, as if he could hurt it worse, Harry ran a thumb along his bottom, busted lip. Louis pulled back out of embarrassment more than pain, but Harry didn’t let him move far.</p><p>“Were you in the fight?” Harry breathed despite himself, eyes searching Louis’ like they were his lifeline.</p><p>“No. It was from one of the guards,” Louis sighed, eyes growing more tired as the sounds of a cheery Niall and James came their way. “I’m fine, Haz. I should be worrying about you, really. If something had happened to that pretty head of hair if yours…I don’t know how I’d function.”</p><p>Harry grinned cheekily, dropping his hand only to wrap his arm around Louis’ shoulder. It was then Louis realized just how much bigger Harry was than him. Half a head taller meant a lot longer arms and legs than Louis originally thought.</p><p>“Alright, everybody!” Liam clapped his hands together, as if there weren’t only four audience members. “So. I have good and bad news. Good news: we’re performing on Valentine’s day. Bad news: Zayn is no longer with us.”</p><p>Instantly, Niall jumped out of his chair. “He died?”</p><p>James merely shook his head, yanking the blonde back down. Liam pinched the bridge of his nose. “No, Niall, he did not die. He just – well, he’s going to a mental health facility.”</p><p>An outraged cry came from Niall, insisting that he hadn’t needed any help at all. James was checking out his calves, probably wondering how many burned spots Zayn had left him in total. Harry even had the decency to tighten his hold and say, “That’s good. If he needs the help, then good for him for getting it.”</p><p>Louis tucked his feet under his thighs, enjoying the warm heat pressed against his side with no onlooking eyes. He didn’t have the heart to point out that Zayn most likely wasn’t going on his own accord, but nobody cared about that in the real world.</p><p>After a while of mourning their loss, James clapped his hands together. “Alright! Now that Liam officially is part of your band – because what’s a band of three people anyways? – let’s get started! I think we should rehearse your first song because, Nialler, you were a little flat yesterday!”</p><p>“I was not!”</p><p>“You were,” everyone else chorused. Louis closed his eyes as a pounding headache set in. Harry’s hand rubbed comforting lines up and down Louis’ arm, providing enough distraction from his day that he didn’t want to bang his head against the wall.</p><p>They began rehearsing the songs, their time going by quickly. Louis participated the minimal amount of effort, and it clearly showed. The songs sounded duller, sullener without his bright voice vying to outshine everyone else. With each song, he grew more and more tired. All he wanted was for his mind to stop racing.</p><p>Lottie never should have come. It was stupid of him to think she wouldn’t throw her two cents in; she was a Tomlinson after all. Why she had to bring his son up, he didn’t know. Lottie of all people should have been aware how much of a sore spot Freddie was. All Louis wanted to do was sit with his little lad and rock him, singing sweet lullabies until he fell asleep. Or teach him footie. Or kiss him goodnight. Or wake to him jumping on top of him in the wee hours of the morning, begging to play a game. And he’d never get any of that. By the time he was out of prison, Freddie would be an entire person Louis didn’t know. It sickened him, and dangling thirty minutes every week with him in a place that was lower than the streets in his face was too much.</p><p>“Lou?”</p><p>Louis blinked back to their surroundings, ready to snap at James for calling him such an intimate name again, but instead, he was met with only one head of hair in the room, and it was his personal favorite head of hair.</p><p>“You okay?” Harry asked again, concern laced across his expression. His eyes were pulling out the secrets of his heart by the second. It took everything in Louis to jerk his head in a nod. Harry made him want to forgo his plans of crying in the shower or staring at Freddie’s picture for ten minutes before bed. He made him want to cry right here, with his arms there to wrap around him, to assure him that everything would be okay, even if they weren’t going to be. “Louis, please tell me what’s wrong. Let me help you.”</p><p>“I’m fi-ne,” Louis began, but his voice cracked mid-word, and with those green orbs staring at him, it was impossible to hold back the tears that wrecked his body.</p><p>Instantly, Harry rushed forward, wrapping his arms around Louis and lifting him onto his lap. Louis really wasn’t given a choice; he found his head under the caress of Harry’s large hand, pressing against his firm chest with nice tattoos that he wished were enough to cause him to forget about his day.</p><p>“Talk to me, babe. What’s happened?”</p><p>The term of endearment made him sober up enough to regain composure. When he pulled back enough to properly see Harry, he thankfully ignored the part where Louis crumpled and cried. Louis was very grateful for that.</p><p>“Does it have to do with your sister coming to visit?”</p><p>Louis’ eyes went wide. “How did…?”</p><p>“Niall,” Harry shrugged, eyes running down his torso to make sure there was no harm, as if that was what he’d be crying about. Louis would eagerly endure daily beatings if it meant he got reasonable time with Freddie in a nicer environment. “What did she say?”</p><p>And honestly, if Harry had gotten this far himself, then Louis could give him a little more. It would feel like ripping out a piece of him, but maybe that was what he needed.</p><p>“She brought up Freddie,” Louis hissed. “And Briana.”</p><p>Running a hand through Louis’ smooth locks, Harry frowned. “Oh. Is he okay?”</p><p>“He’s fine,” Louis muttered. “He – he misses me. How does knowing that help me in any way? I can’t do shit here to try to see him in a better environment. I miss him too damn much, but I shouldn’t miss him.”</p><p>“Why not?” Harry murmured. Louis was distinctly aware that they were the only two in the attic. This never happened. Liam must have trailed off to get a session in with James. “You have every right to feel upset. I know I would.”</p><p>That only brought up a choked sob out of Louis’ throat. “But it’s my fault I’m in here again, Harry. If I would have been more patient, I would have gotten to see my little lad in a month. Instead…instead I violated custody rules and took him to the park. I never imagined she’d press charges from pulling him out of day-care! And now…I’ll have to wait years to do something as small as hug him. He won’t know me, and I won’t know him, and – and there’s no way he’ll ever love me, and it’s all my fault.”</p><p>The words were catching up to him, and now Louis was gasping for air. His eyes were wild and everywhere, and he felt like his heart was about to start running off without him. Harry’s hand gently rested on Louis’ back, warm heat reaching him through the prison clothing. “Louis,” Harry whispered, voice so calm and reassuring. When their eyes met, the green in his were so bright. He looked so young, yet his words were so wise. “Blaming yourself doesn’t help you. What you feel is what you feel, and you can’t change how you feel.”</p><p>Louis nodded, biting his lip to keep his emotions in tight. He felt so many things, all of a sudden.</p><p>“Why can’t Freddie see you here? It’s not ideal, but at least he’d get to know his dad. At least he’d get to see you,” Harry said, hand rubbing circles on his back in a soothing manner. The question made Louis falter. Liam had asked the same thing, but he’d had trouble putting into words why it was so horrid for Freddie to come here. It was the same reason why his mother wasn’t ‘allowed’ to come here anymore, either. It was a terrifying reason.</p><p>“Freddie is the only one who may see me as more than the washed up drunk footie player who killed cops. Freddie might still love me. And if he comes here…” Louis’ eyes burned suddenly as he stared at Harry in horror. “Then I really am a horrible person sentenced to jail for those things.”</p><p>His entire resolve broke. Suddenly, Louis was crying. He was more than crying. He crumpled over, face in Harry’s lap, and sobs ripped out of his throat so painful he wouldn’t be able to sing for days. All his mind could think about was the look he could imagine on Freddie’s face. He’d be disgusted. He’d be ashamed of his own father. How much worse can a person get?</p><p>Suddenly, Harry’s arms were around Louis, pulling him so he was sitting on his lap, cradled in a ball as Harry pressed their foreheads together. “You’re not a horrible person. You did some horrible things, but you are not a horrible person.”</p><p>That only made the tears increase. “There’s no difference, Harry.” His chest was growing tighter, and the air was becoming much too hard to breathe. A small part of him hoped this feeling would continue to the point of no return. Then, Freddie could at least say his dad died and some wouldn’t question him further. He could have a hint of pride. “My own son will be ashamed of me, Harry. Only horrible people have children who would be ashamed of their parents!”</p><p>Harry shook his head, eyes imploring him to listen, to calm down and stop thinking. Louis really wanted to stop thinking. “Horrible people don’t feel bad for what they’ve done, Lou. You feel bad! You hide behind jokes and a strong façade, but I see you. I see the dead look in your eyes. I see the way you’ll stare at the ceiling for hours on end. I see the way you refuse to speak about it, and when you do, you proclaim yourself to be a shitty person, like that title doesn’t bother you. But it does, Louis. You’ve done shitty things, but you are not a shitty person.”</p><p>Louis felt hot tears sliding faster down his cheeks, but his breathing had slowed to a manageable pace. His eyes searched Harry’s, trying to see if what he said was the truth. It had to be, didn’t it? Harry Styles was an angel on earth. If he truly thought that about Louis, maybe there was a chance he was right.</p><p>“I’m not a horrible person?” Louis asked, needing desperately to hear it one more time.</p><p>“You’re not,” Harry promised, eyes scanning his face, searching for insecurities.</p><p>“But-,”</p><p>Suddenly, Harry darted forward, and before Louis could react, Harry pressed his lips into Louis’ firmly, like the harder he pressed the more powerful the message was. It was over before Louis could even think to respond, but it wasn’t something he could forget. The way his body filled with heat, the way his lips were incredibly soft against his despite the pressure, the way he breathed into the kiss before pulling back abruptly.</p><p>“I don’t fall for horrible people, Louis, and I fancy you,” Harry breathed the scent of vanilla coconut into his face as he whispered. Louis’ eyes fluttered shut, trying to register what just happened. When this happened. How this happened. His heart was racing faster than it had in his entire life.</p><p>“You‘re falling for me.” Louis rasped, voice cracking from the tears that had finally stopped falling due to shock.</p><p>With a soft snort, Harry repeated. “I’m falling for you. I tried so fucking hard not to, but you’re remarkable, Louis.”</p><p>“I am?”</p><p>Harry nodded, and for once, Louis felt like he actually could believe that he wasn’t a horrible person, even if it was just for the night. Overwhelmed with the calm that came after a near-breakdown, Louis squirmed until he had his arms around Harry’s neck and was pulling their bodies together as tightly as he could manage. Harry wheezed at the sudden shift in positions, but he hugged him back just as tightly, and when he began to pull away. Louis whispered, “Thank you for being in my life, Angel. You’re so much more than I deserve.”</p><p>Harry hummed in appreciation, and minutes later when Louis finally released him and his fresh-smelling curls, he looked Louis over. “Does that mean you fell for me, as well?”</p><p>Feeling like the weight of the world had been taken off his shoulders for the night, Louis tiredly flicked his forehead and nuzzled his neck into his chest. Lightly, he pressed quick kisses along his neck while mumbling, “Don’t be daft, Harry. I’ve been falling for you since the moment we met.”</p><p>“Yeah. When I was getting fucked up the arse,” Harry said dryly, to which Louis nipped at his neck, causing Harry to grip his hips tightly. “Sorry. Won’t ruin the moment again.”</p><p>Louis smirked, pulling back and fully intending to give Harry a proper snog, but then Liam opened the door hesitantly, as if he wanted to break apart their intimate moment as little as either of them wanted him to. “We’ve got to go, lads.”</p><p>Both of their faces dropped, reminding them just of where they were again because for that sweet, short moment, they both could forget. “Right,” Harry said, gently standing and placing Louis on his feet. “Come on.”</p><p>The whole walk back, Harry kept brushing against Louis. It always looked like an accident, but each time, Louis’ heart jumped. Liam left them to join the hustling prisoners as everyone prepared for roll call. Normally when they stayed late, they’d skip showers for the night and wait until the morning, but as they passed the showers now, Louis stopped.</p><p>He turned to Harry, mouth open, unsure if he should even voice the question on his lips, but clearly, his eyes gave him away. Harry was smirking. “What is it, Lou?”</p><p>Louis huffed, eyes rolling as he placed his hands firmly on his hips. “I need to shower.”</p><p>“You do? Can’t it wait until morning?” Harry blinked innocently. “You only have a few minutes…and I want you.”</p><p>If there hadn’t been that mischievous twinkle in Harry’s eyes, Louis’ hopes would have dropped off completely. So he stepped forward and glared. “Exactly. Which is why you’re going to get me a towel, unless you feel like fingering my quite possibly dirty arsehole.”</p><p>Harry’s eyes widened, clearly not expecting Louis to be so direct. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “Uh – um, yeah, please shower then.”</p><p>Louis smiled tersely, reaching out and patting Harry’s cheek. “Maybe you should too, if you want me to give you head. Really don’t like tasting stinky bullocks in my mouth, you know?”</p><p>“Jesus, Lou,” Harry groaned, hand running through his hair. Louis snorted with pride at the way Harry’s cheeks had turned three shades redder. “Alright. Let’s hurry.”</p><p>They definitely did hurry. The guard at the entrance of the showers barely wanted to let them through because it was so late. Even so, Harry barely managed to wash his hair, and Louis wasn’t able to take his normal fifteen minutes of blissful showering. They both managed to wash their bodies, and really, that was all Louis cared about.</p><p>Louis, of course, took longer than Harry, so the guards gave him a shove or two with their batons to get him to hurry along, which was really rather rude considering he had to hop back from the showers while cradling his prosthetic leg in one hand. He was supposed to be given extra time for things that required him to remove his leg, like showers, but the guards never gave a shit. It ended with Louis stumbling into the cell mumbling curses and rubbing his back. Harry sat peacefully on his bed, laughing.</p><p>“Told you to hurry.”</p><p>“Shut up,” Louis pouted as he jumped up beside Harry, tossing his prosthetic leg on the opposite bed. Once the lights went out, he scooted until he was directly beside him. Their arms were brushing and burning, making Louis’ head turn fuzzy. Harry’s thumb brushed along his thigh in a soft pattern. “Hazza?”</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“You smell really nice,” Louis mumbled. Harry chuckled softly, looking around before he wrapped his arms around Louis’ waist and pulled him down into the mattress. “Ah!”</p><p>“Shh,” Harry giggled. “We have to be quiet.”</p><p>Louis turned around so they were lying on their sides, face to face. “Okay. We have to wait, don’t we?” Harry bit his lip. It was so plump and red and Louis really wanted to kiss it. He nodded reluctantly. “Fuck.”</p><p>“I’m starting to think you’re just using me for sex,” Harry said, lips lifting in amusement. Louis scowled, nose scrunching as he reached forward and shoved at his shoulder.</p><p>“Haz, love, we both know I’m not. If you wanted to talk all night, we could. However, your hot body has been teasing me since I got here, so I would really, really like you to fuck me.”</p><p>Harry blushed, gaze jumping between his eyes and his lips. “I know, Lou. You’re cute when you’re angry.”</p><p>He started laughing, and the sound was something he could hear on repeat endlessly. It was angelic and higher than any other sound from Harry’s voice. So Louis glared again and moved over top of Harry, stilling all signs of laughter from the taller man. He rested comfortably over top his hips, leaning down slowly so their faces were centimeters apart. Their combined heat finally warmed Louis’ chilled body. He felt like everywhere they connected had sparks shooting under his skin until it reached his whole body. Louis rolled his hips against Harry’s groin, licking his lips at the feel of his half-hard cock.</p><p>“Am I cute now?” Louis challenged in a whisper. Harry’s eyes roamed his face with longing.</p><p>“Cute…isn’t the word I’d choose anymore.” Harry breathed in his scent, savoring their close quarters. He was about to say something else when the sound of footsteps grew louder outside the cell. Both their eyes went wide, and then Louis was sprinting off Harry as fast as he could, hopping in the quietest way possible across the tiny room. He jumped onto the unoccupied bed with haste, pretending to be tossing and turning right as the guard walked by, flashing his light onto both beds to ensure everyone was accounted for.</p><p>They’d run into this problem a few times. There were a select few guards that Louis was able to bribe to get them to turn a blind eye to the fact that Harry and Louis slept in one bed. Tonight, those guards weren’t on duty. Luckily, around one in the morning was when they stopped their rounds and waited until daylight to check up.</p><p>Louis turned over and stared in the dim light across the room at Harry. After waiting for the guard to finish his sweep, Louis climbed out of bed and stumbled over.</p><p>“Shoved out of bed with only one leg. What a gentleman you are, Harry,” Louis retorted dryly as he made his way back on the bed. Harry’s worried eyes softened at the comment, and then he pulled Louis against his chest so suddenly he nearly yelped.</p><p>“Sorry,” Harry mumbled into his neck. His lips were soft against his skin, and his breath was hot.</p><p>Louis chuckled. “It’s alrigh,’ Haz.”</p><p>Harry hummed, but he made no move to let him go, so Louis relaxed into him, enjoying the way each breath from Harry caused a shiver to run down his body. After a few minutes, Harry relaxed slightly, but then he let out a firm breath of air. Louis couldn’t help the whimper that escaped him.</p><p>“You okay?”</p><p>“Hmm,” Louis said, eyes fluttering shut. Harry seemed to pick up on something because he did the same thing again, this time a little more directed at his neck, and he got the same response. “Harry.”</p><p>He didn’t respond immediately, but when he did, he spoke with his lips pressed directly against Louis’ neck. “Yeah babe?” It felt like heaven. He had to remind himself to not let a noise out.</p><p>“Get up here,” Louis hissed desperately, rolling over as he pulled Harry up. Their eyes connected for a second before Louis grabbed the back of his neck and yanked him down, their lips searing together in such heat they’d never separate again. This time Louis kissed him back. This time it was a real, true snog. Their lips molded together as if they were one. He tasted of strawberries, and the feeling of their bodies moving together, tasting each other made Louis’ mind spin. Impatient as ever, Louis darted his tongue out and ran it along Harry’s lower lip, producing a muffled groan from Harry.</p><p>Louis twined his hands in Harry’s curls, tugging on them firmly, enjoying the way that with every tug, Harry inched his body that much closer to his. Growing frustrated, Louis broke away and began kissing up his jaw, and then on his earlobe. It was like Harry turned to putty in his hands. Louis sloppily kissed his ear, tongue dipping slightly, and Harry produced a groan so loud Louis worried the inmates would hear. Not holding back anything, his body fell directly against Louis’.</p><p>“You’re evil,” Harry whispered, pulling back enough to look Louis over. All he could do was smirk. Then it was Harry’s turn to kiss all over him. His lips were soft against his jaw, but when he started kissing his neck, Louis’ whole body felt it. It was like he was shooting electricity through his body. Everything was on high alert as Harry sucked and kissed and created dots of purple all over his neck.</p><p>Now as eager as the other, they quickly ripped off each other’s shirts. Their lips found each other’s again, but this time, Louis flipped them over, straddling Harry. Both of them groaned when Louis rolled his hips into Harry’s. Their hardened members were prominent and desperate. Louis ground into him again and cursed.</p><p>“Jesus, Haz. You’re huge.”</p><p>Harry smiled widely, pecking his lips as his hands found his bum, slapping him roughly enough to cause Louis to jump. Green eyes turning dark, he hissed, “Why don’t you get down there and see it up close then?”</p><p>Louis bit his lip, trying to hide the burning lust coursing through him at that comment. He hadn’t been expecting a bossy Harry, but he wasn’t complaining. Quickly moving down and taking Harry’s pants off, Louis finally got his hands around Harry’s dick. He’d been expecting a decent sized length on Harry considering his height, but he also had girth, and that made Louis’ arse clench in anticipation. Eyes connecting with Harry’s, he slowly kissed around his head, tongue teasing his most sensitive spot. Instantly, Harry’s hands wound in Louis’ hair, struggling to not shove him down on himself all the way. It made Louis smirk slightly before his tongue flicked over the slit, and then there was no stopping Harry from shoving Louis’ mouth down on himself.</p><p>It was incredibly out of character for the meek Harry Styles Louis knew, which made it ten times hotter.</p><p>Choking slightly, Louis took back control, bobbing his head in a slow pace as he built up the speed. Harry was grinding his hips up into him with every pass, and it was growing harder and harder to keep from gagging. He kept at it for so long his head began spinning, and the sounds coming from Harry’s mouth made his own dick throb with arousal. When Louis moved off and sucked one of his balls in his mouth while thumbing over his slit, Harry groaned slightly. Then, his hands gripped Louis and pulled him back up.</p><p>“God, Lou,” he spoke into his lips, breath hot and short. “Where’s the lube?”</p><p>“In my books,” Louis breathed, rolling off him so Harry could climb off the bed.</p><p>“Of course they are,” Harry snorted. Louis shot him a glare while he deftly shimmied out of his pants. His eyes clung to Harry’s peachy bum as he bent over and pulled the small tube out of the cut books. Condoms were much easier to find in the prison, so Louis also kept a few with the lube. Looking near desperate, Harry climbed on the bed again, stalking up over Louis’ body in a predatory fashion. His soft, damp curls brushed Louis’ skin, making him shiver.</p><p>Standing on his knees, staring Louis down, Harry took his time readying himself.</p><p>“Harry.” Louis whined, tugging him forward by his hips, but he didn’t move. Instead, he paused, reaching one hand down and palming Louis. It made him gasp a sharp, “Haz. Please.”</p><p>“Quiet, Louis,” Harry said smugly as he coated his fingers in lube and finally fell on top of him. Louis opened his mouth to retort, but then Harry’s thumb pressed against his hole suddenly, and it took all restraint in him to stay silent. “Can you stay quiet for me?”</p><p>Louis really didn’t know if he could, but he nodded anyways.</p><p>“Good, baby,” Harry grunted seconds before he plunged a finger inside him. Louis’ let a silent gasp out, the sound getting lost in Harry’s lips. “You okay?”</p><p>“Yes,” Louis hissed, eyes finding Harry’s brilliant green ones. “Yes. God, yes. More, Haz. Please.”</p><p>Harry’s teeth nipped slightly at his neck as he worked his finger inside him. Then, he added a second one. Louis squirmed in response, begging, “More. Fuck.”</p><p>Harry raised an eyebrow. “You’re really tight, Lou,” he said in a hushed voice. “I don’t want to hurt you.”</p><p>Louis shook his head. “Been a while.”</p><p>Harry chuckled as he began to scissor him open. Louis hadn’t felt such a feeling in a long time. He’d missed this, and Harry definitely was the man to remind him of how amazing this could feel. Then, he crooked his fingers and Louis’ whole body tensed, back arching instantly. His body was thriving in an addicting fashion.</p><p>“Again. Again, again, again. Babe. Please,” Louis groaned. This time, Harry didn’t hesitate to give Louis what he wanted. His fingers brushed his prostate again, and it felt like his whole body was on fire. Louis moved his hips down into his fingers. A hot coil of energy was building fast in his stomach. And then Harry started fucking him with his fingers, and Louis came completely undone, cum shooting up between the two of them. He began to moan in bliss, but Harry kissed him again, swallowing any sounds he made.</p><p>“So hot, Lou,” Harry breathed, pulling back to look into his eyes.</p><p>Louis was panting by the time he managed to focus. Harry’s fingers were still inside him, prepping him further. His breath hitched when Harry added a third finger. It was tight and slightly uncomfortable, but every so often Harry brushed his sensitive prostate and sent waves of desire coursing through him again.</p><p>“Harry. Gonna fuck me now?”</p><p>His lips lifted in a half smile. “Yeah, Louis, I’m gonna fuck you now.”</p><p>Louis bit his lip as Harry positioned himself at his entrance, but he seemed too far away. They looked into each other’s eyes, both so honest and open and there. Louis couldn’t help himself from wrapping his hands around Harry’s neck and pulling him flush against his chest. He gave a quick nod, and then Harry pushed in.</p><p>It was a feeling Louis had been missing for a long time. It was a feeling of completeness and fullness. It was a feeling of lust and desire. It was a feeling that made everything in this horrid prison worth it.</p><p>“Oh my god,” Harry breathed into Louis’ neck. “Baby, I-,”</p><p>“Move,” Louis breathed. Harry pulled back enough to enclose Louis’ head between his forearms. He pulled out slowly and then suddenly thrust inside, eyes locked with Louis’ the whole time. The green attempted to hide the instinctual, animalistic drive in his eyes, but it still reached Louis’ soul, tugging and pulling him impossibly closer. “Fuck. Haz, oh my -,”</p><p>Harry picked up the pace, making Louis’ head spin. His hands moved to his shoulders, nails digging into his skin as hard as Harry fucked him.</p><p>Suddenly, Harry stopped. “Haz?” Louis wheezed, voice choppy from strain. His head dropped to Louis’ chest as he breathed deeply. Somehow, someway, Louis was hard again.</p><p>“Trying…not to cum,” Harry said after a few minutes. Finally, he looked back into his eyes and pecked his lips. Then, Harry took Louis’ thighs and pressed them back against his chest.</p><p>When Harry entered him again, Louis groaned, to which Harry hurriedly pressed a hand over his mouth. “Quiet baby.”</p><p>“So good,” Louis whimpered. Every thrust hit his prostate, sending so much energy through his body he was growing faint. His nails dug so deep into Harry’s skin he worried he’d draw blood, but then Harry began kissing down his neck, sucking and leaving bite marks, and Louis didn’t care anymore.</p><p>Then, Harry’s hand wrapped around Louis’ dick and pumped him a few times and that was it. Louis came hard, nails digging into Harry’s shoulder and eyes rolling into the back of his head.</p><p>It took him a few seconds for his vision to come to, and when it did, Harry bit his lip hard. He had a desperate look on his face, all emotion and concentration on Louis’. Harry kissed him hard, moan disappearing on Louis’ tongue as his pace grew erratic. Harry thrust in one last time and collapsed onto Louis.</p><p>Louis’ hands brushed chocolate curls out of Harry’s eyes. His head rested on Louis’ chest, both of them breathing deeply, and after a minute, Harry finally pulled out, a weird sensation that made Louis shudder.</p><p>Suddenly, Harry pressed his lips to Louis’ deeply. When he pulled away, he was grinning from ear to ear. It was such an angelic sight Louis started giggling.</p><p>“We’re a mess,” Louis whispered.</p><p>“We each other’s messes,” Harry hummed, voice raspy.</p><p>Louis lightly smacked Harry upside the head, trying to hold back his grin. “Don’t be such a sap!”</p><p>“You love it!” Harry said with a chaste peck to his lips. Louis’ giggles faded away as he stared into those gorgeous green eyes.</p><p>“I really, really do.”</p><p>. . .</p><p>They lied awake for half the night. Neither of them wanted it to be over. Neither of them wanted to break the spell put inside the cell the moment their lips sealed. They were in their own world. They were in their own room, in their own house far away from the prison. There was nobody within hearing distance. There was just Harry and Louis and they were together and happy and blissed out from amazing sex. They were falling hard in love with nothing to stop them.</p><p>But they weren’t. They had to go to sleep eventually, and they had to wake up, and they had to get pushed around by guards and treated like shit.</p><p>. . .</p><p>With most mornings came the sound of inmates shuffling out of bed. Despite the guards walking around, banging their batons on the metal bars, it was always quieter in the morning, everyone still groggy from sleep. Louis had been expecting to be woken up by the familiar sounds of the guards, but instead, there was a tickling sensation all over his face and neck that made him stir slightly.</p><p>He blinked awake when there was soft pressure on his eyelids, and it was a wonderful sight to wake to. Harry hovered above him, sharp cheek bones balanced with soft lips and eyes. His curls were messy and in his face, and it made it impossible for Louis not to smile.</p><p>“Hello, love,” Louis said in a yawn as he stretched his arms above his head. Harry continued pressing his lips all over Louis’ cheeks, and then his neck, and it made him squirm while suppressing giggles. When he began sucking a love bite onto his neck, Louis finally swatted him away. “Stop that.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“Because <em>I</em> want to mark <em>you</em>,” Louis pouted. He truly felt he didn’t get to enough last night. By the end of the day, he wanted everyone to know Harry was his.</p><p>Harry snorted, warm breath flitting across Louis’ face in a shockingly minty scent. “Oh, you did. Do you ever cut your nails?”</p><p>Louis frowned, eyes narrowing on three bright red scratches on either side of Harry’s lower neck. They had already turned to scabs. “Hmm. Good. Did you get up to brush your teeth?” Harry blushed, so Louis smacked him upside the head before crawling out from under him. “That’s unfair, you wanker. I can’t be the only one with morning breath.”</p><p>“I don’t care,” Harry said, but he sounded too amused. “As much as I love seeing your bum jiggle when you hop, you may want to put clothes on if you’re keen to walk around more. The guards are about to come.”</p><p>Louis gasped slightly. He hadn’t even noticed that he was starkers in the early morning light. Shooting Harry a reproachful look, he snagged his clothes off the floor and pulled them on haphazardly. “Why are you even up?”</p><p>He shrugged. “You kicked me awake fifteen minutes ago. Then I realized we never cleaned up, so I cleaned us up. I’m shocked you didn’t wake up when I wiped you clean – it was cold water.”</p><p>Louis’ nose scrunched as he shot Harry a glare. “I gave you no permission to see my flaccid dick, thank you.”</p><p>The smug smile growing on his face told Louis enough.</p><p>“I was hard, wasn’t I?” Louis sighed.</p><p>“Half,” Harry supplied. “I guess you footie players really do have unheard of stamina. Got hard three times in a five-hour span. Impressive.”</p><p>Louis opened his mouth to retort, but then the loud familiar banging sounded from down the line of cells. It wasn’t as brash and abrasive now that Louis was half awake. Still, he was quite tired. So once the guard passed, Louis dropped his trousers and sat on the miniature toilet.</p><p>“Do you shit in the mornings when I sleep?” Harry questioned curiously from his lazy position on the bed. Louis glared at him.</p><p>“I’m pissing. Again, stop looking at my now definitely soft dick,” Louis retorted, ignoring Harry’s innocent, amused gaze. “You’re weird.”</p><p>“Says the man sitting down to pee.”</p><p>“I am tired and have one leg! Bugger off!” Louis snapped, rubbing at his eyes as he stood and began getting ready.</p><p>“If you don’t shit now, when do you? I think I’ve seen you shit a total of five times here.”</p><p>“God, Harry,” Louis moaned. “Let’s not talk about this. Also, you’re too cheery in the morning.”</p><p>“Why aren’t you? You should be in a great mood. You came twice last night.”</p><p>“Haz? Shut up,” Louis sighed, rubbing at his temples. Their cells opened, and Louis was tempted to leave then and there without even brushing his teeth. Morning Harry was a new breed. However, he had business matters to attend to. “If Lottie works fast, you’ll get the first shipment in four days. I’d go ahead and switch things around to get the unloading position to just you and someone you trust so it doesn’t seem suspicious. If they won’t take a bribe of a few packs, send them to me.”</p><p>“Yes sir,” Harry said, weakly saluting him. Louis glared.</p><p>“Don’t call me that,” he brushed his teeth roughly, feeling Harry’s eyes on him the entire time. Every now and then, he’d check and make sure Harry had actually processed everything he’d said, but sometimes, things were unclear with Harry.</p><p>“Why can’t I call you that?” Harry asked.</p><p>Louis spat out his toothpaste and shrugged. “I dunno. Don’t like it. Not for me. You do realize-,”</p><p>“I like it.” Harry swung his legs over the bed and hopped down. Louis eyed him carefully as every step he took moved them closer together. “You run the show around here. Why wouldn’t you like being called something of authority, Lou?”</p><p>Under his gaze, with those scrutinizing, analytical eyes, it was impossible not to squirm slightly. It was like he was pulling out his secrets, and he didn’t like that. Harry took a daring step closer, eyes never leaving Louis’. “I learned a lot about you last night, baby.”</p><p>He gulped, feeling like he was caught red handed. “Did you?”</p><p>Harry nodded, licking his lips and stepping so close their breaths were mixing. Harry ignored the sound of people walking off to their first work shift, stepping directly against him in a way that was anything but platonic. “You didn’t once take control last night. You liked it when I took control of you going down on me. You begged for me, Lou.”</p><p>“These are just facts, Harry.” Louis pointed out in a whisper.</p><p>“You want control in your outside life, but really, you’re just desperate for someone to come along and take you over in bed.” Harry hummed on pleased lips. “You don’t like being called sir because I bet you’d like to call me that, wouldn’t you? Maybe if I spanked you a few times?” As if to prove his point, Harry’s hand slapped painfully hard on Louis’ bum, staying there and squeezing firmly. Louis let out a surprised gasp, clutching onto Harry now that he was unbalanced. “I bet you’d like to call me ‘daddy.’”</p><p>“I would not.”</p><p>Harry smirked. “Hmm. I’ll pull it out of you tonight.”</p><p>There was no way he could form a proper response to that. He was debating between jumping Harry now or kneeing him it the crotch for his rude but accurate observation when the sound of Niall and James giving a loud “Oi! Oi!” came from their entrance.</p><p>“Well, well, well. We have a naked Harry and…Louis, who looks like he’s been absolutely wrecked,” James said appreciatively, eying the two pressed nearly together. Both boys glanced down and snorted because Harry was completely naked.</p><p>“Get some pants on, Haz. Jesus.” Louis shoved him off, eyes cold as they turned to James and Niall, both of whom were grinning like kids on Christmas. “What the fuck are you wankers looking at?”</p><p>Naill burst into uncontrollable giggles. “Nothing, Tommo. You sleep well?”</p><p>This time, Harry burst into laughter. Louis rolled his eyes. “Great, thanks. Hand me my leg.”</p><p>Still in a fit of giggles, Niall began to hand it over, but then James snatched it. “Here you go, Tommo. Oh – oops! I dropped it.”</p><p>Louis looked from James to his leg lying on the dirty ground with contempt. He clenched his fist, unsure what they were getting at here. When he glanced to Harry, he matched James’ mischievous smile. He really didn’t have time for their games, though, so he bent over at the waist to grab it.</p><p>And it was the biggest mistake he’d made in a long time.</p><p>Searing pain ripped through his sore hole. He cried out with a grasp, eyes flying open as he straightened up quickly only to be met with three people dying with laughter. Niall was on the ground pretty quickly. It took Louis far too long to understand that he’d just given himself away to the fact that he’d clearly bottomed last night.</p><p>“Get out! Now!” Louis shouted, shoving James and Niall onto the catwalk with annoyance. He turned to Harry and held up his middle finger, which only spurred him to laugh more as he handed Louis his prosthetic leg. “You’re evil, Angel. An angel of darkness or some shite.”</p><p>Harry leaned over the bed, finally letting his laughter slip away. He dramatically wiped at his eye while Louis fastened his prosthetic on quickly. “Sorry, love. That was just as much hot as it was funny, though.”</p><p>“Yes, really hot that I can hardly walk properly today. Ha ha.”</p><p>Harry’s smile was enough to send sick children home healthy. Despite his annoyance, Louis would gladly go through that same morning a thousand times over just to be graced with that smile. It was inhumanly perfect. “Later, Lou.”</p><p>“Bye, Angel,” Louis whispered in a kinder voice, suddenly struck sad knowing he’d have to wait until lunch to see Harry again, and even that would only be for a short time. He pouted, staring up at Harry sadly, which only made Harry smile more. Quickly dashing upward, he pecked those pink, full lips once, savoring the taste before he darted out of the cell.</p><p>Harry Styles did something to him last night that Louis was very sure he’d never felt before.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Performance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After sweating his whole body off, prosthetic included, pounding away at metal, Louis made it to breakfast, where he was met with shit-eating grins from everyone. Nobody asked directly, mainly because Louis sported his love bites like they were Olympic medals, constantly pulling down his jumper when he could. With every stare, Louis was reminded of the night before, of how happy he was in Harry’s arms.</p><p>He was bouncing on his heels when lunch came around. He could spot Harry’s curls sitting at their table a mile away. At first, he was excited, but that quickly shifted to anger when he realized Modest was bent over the table, speaking harshly into Harry’s ears.</p><p>Deciding to throw risk in the wind, Louis blatantly stepped between Modest and Harry. “Hello, lads. How are we today?”</p><p>Modest took one look at Louis and Harry before giving a final sneer and walking away. Niall and James sat down after, next to Preston and Jimmy. “Hey, what was that about?”</p><p>Harry didn’t meet Louis’ gaze as he sat down beside him, pressing so close their thighs were touching. “Just more of his bullshit. It’s just talk.”</p><p>Louis scowled. “I don’t care. Only I get to talk dirty to you,” he hissed, looking around the table until his eyes landed on Preston. “Preston, you think we could find somebody to stab Modest? I want him scared shitless so he’ll finally leave.”</p><p>Harry’s eyes widened, and now he looked at Louis. “Jesus, don’t answer that!”</p><p>Preston looked perplexed.</p><p>“He’s repulsive, but we’re not going to stab him for gross comments, Lou!” Harry hissed in a voice quiet enough that only their table heard it.</p><p>“He grabs you all the time, though.” Niall pointed out. “He got one of Nick’s men shanked the other day for throwing food at you. I liked that one.”</p><p>Harry whirled on Louis, who shrugged. “They deserved it!”</p><p>“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind!” Harry countered in horror. There was a tightness in his chest at the idea of Harry being repulsed by Louis. Wanting him to understand, Louis nudged his arm until he was tucked under his shoulder, blinking his blue eyes up at Harry.</p><p>“Not in prison,” Louis said. “They’ve messed with you because they were allowed to. Now, you’re mine, and nobody touches my stuff. People learn that the hard way.”</p><p>Harry’s jaw was hanging wide open. The emotion was more shock than disgust, so Louis decided he could settle for that. Feeling the eyes of the whole table on them, Louis looked around. “So. Preston?”</p><p>Blinking rapidly, he shook his head. “Doubtful. I’ll ask around.”</p><p>Louis nodded, content with that for now, and settled back more into Harry’s chest. By now, half the cafeteria was shooting them glances. There was a big part of Louis that wanted Nick to see. He couldn’t wait for the volatile man to react, but then again, a big part of Louis feared he’d take his anger out on Harry.</p><p>And an even bigger part of Louis worried that Harry would apologize to Nick.</p><p>. . .</p><p>“So. I see you and Harry have grown close,” Liam began their latest session a few days later with a more cheerful grin.</p><p>Louis stretched back into the couch. He wanted to snap at Liam for being nosy. However, he knew Liam had been kind enough last night to give them actual alone time.</p><p>“Yeah,” Louis gauged Liam’s reaction. “How much detail are you going after here, Payno? Because I could easily tell you how magical his fingers-,”</p><p>“Stop!” Liam blurted, eyes wide and cheeks flushed. “Wow. You and Harry couldn’t be more different. I ask him about it and he turns all ooey-gooey, red-cheeked, and embarrassed. I ask you about it and you jump straight into graphic detail.”</p><p>Louis shrugged with his maniacal grin. “Harry says I hide behind brash behavior. I do believe he could be as good of a therapist as you!”</p><p>Liam shook his head with a fond smile. “That you do,” he chuckled, sitting back in his chair. “So, it’s not just sex between Harry and you?”</p><p>“I – why are you even asking that? I am ninety-nine percent positive you just talked about us in Harry’s session.” Louis narrowed his eyes. Liam shrugged. Normally, when he was doing something for his doctor-ly reasons, he’d hum, wink, and not say anything else.</p><p>“Appease me,” Liam said seriously, which made Louis pause. He was going at this as if he didn’t actually know the answer, like he was scared to push too hard for it.</p><p>“Wait, did Harry say it’s just sex?” Louis said, heart faltering. His worry jumped straight to Harry. He’d been used so many times in between these prison walls. That was the last thing he wanted Harry to think. Then again, what if Harry only wanted sex? “What did he say?”</p><p>“You know I can’t tell you that, Louis.”</p><p>He bounded to his feet, leaning over Liam to get into his personal space despite the stoic man never answering. “Tell me what the fuck he said.”</p><p>Liam shook his head. “If you’d stop hiding behind your brash attitude, maybe you wouldn’t be doubtful of your answer. Does Harry know your answer?”</p><p>Louis flung himself back on the couch and tossed his hands in the air. “I’d bloody hope so! I wasn’t exactly subtle about the morning after! Or when I gave him a twenty-minute blowjob.”</p><p>“Hmm.”</p><p>“I hate it when you hum and you know this.”</p><p>Liam cracked a smile. “Alright. Let’s talk about something else, then. For all my research, I cannot find anywhere that you’re into men. Was being in the closet hard?”</p><p>Louis sighed. “Yeah, I’suppose. Haven’t really been too conscious of it in a while, though. Girls always worked just as well for me in the past – hence Freddie.”</p><p>Liam jotted a few things down before nodding. “But it was a struggle at times, I’m sure. Hiding a big part of your life from your teammates couldn’t have been easy.”</p><p>He blew out a breath of air. He never consciously thought about how being in the closet pertained to his friendships. “Sure, sure. I never got close to them, so it was never a huge problem. Or maybe that was the problem. I dunno.”</p><p>Taking a few seconds to respond, Liam asked, “Do you ever think about coming out?”</p><p>“I’ve never had a reason to.”</p><p>“Expression and being open about yourself helps to relieve your stress.”</p><p>“I thought you wankers aren’t supposed to advise anything.” Louis waggled a finger toward him playfully. In all honesty, he’d much rather be talking about sex right now. “It sounds a shit of a lot like you’re telling me to come out, which would be bloody horrendous from inside prison.”</p><p>Liam scowled. “I am not. I do, however, want to figure out what caused so much anger inside of you, enough to make you simply give up on your career after an injury.”</p><p>Louis began to open his mouth, but any comment he had was full of, as Liam said, noticeable anger. As angry as he was about Liam analyzing him, he still had his pride, and his pride refused to prove Liam correct. He spent the next few minutes pretending he was talking to Harry because at least then he’d be able to find comfort in knowing that Harry only said anything in the interest of understanding him further. Louis honestly didn’t care whether Liam understood him at this point.</p><p>“Would you have rather me tried to play on a metal peg leg?” Louis said, but the bite wasn’t there. The question sounded ignorant to him, something Louis was sure Liam was not. He didn’t give up. It was abruptly ended. There was no other option.</p><p>Liam’s tone was serious despite his face showing signs of happiness. “You were a very popular player, Louis. If anything, you had a lot of money. You could have become a public figure or philanthropist. Before your DUI, do you have any idea how many people would have killed to have you run camps, coach colleges, or even just speak about overcoming such an injury? But that would have required you to have overcome it, right? Do you feel you overcame it?”</p><p>Louis clenched his jaw. “Of course not!” Liam’s eyes were surprised. “I can walk, sure, but I’ll never play footie like I used to. I’ll never be the same, so no, I did not ‘overcome‘ it.”</p><p>Liam frowned, speaking softer now. “Sometimes, overcoming a challenge means having to adjust to life in different ways. It doesn’t always mean you get back to where you were before.”</p><p>Louis scoffed. “Not in my book.”</p><p>The timer went off, spreading peace throughout his body at ending this conversation. Even better, he’d get to see Harry for an extended period of time. That meant he no longer felt like the life was being sucked out of him, which was a common feeling when he was away from Harry and his gorgeous dimples.</p><p>He got up to leave, blatantly ignoring Liam’s gaze. “Louis?”</p><p>“What, Liam?” Louis sneered begrudgingly.</p><p>“Those people would still love to have you when you’re done here, you know. Turning your life around is very inspirational,” Liam sighed tiredly. “Alright. Let’s go. I’m very curious to see if you and Harry will do any actual singing today.”</p><p>Louis stuttered for a moment. The notion that anyone would want to hear Louis speak about anything these days had to be ridiculous butt kissing talk. “Probably not.”</p><p>“Understandable.”</p><p>When they made it to the attic, Harry and Niall were having a thumb war on the couch. James seemed to be refereeing it very intently. Louis inched silently closer as the war continued. Niall’s nose scrunched up while Harry’s tongue poked out of his lips in the most adorable fashion. Then, Harry won, so Louis cried out a loud, “Oi! Oi! That’s my boy!”</p><p>Harry whirled around with the largest grin on his face. “Hey, Lou!” His hands wrapped around Louis’ waist and pulled him onto his lap. “’Missed you.”</p><p>“Okay. You two can be gross, but you have to stop the rhyming,” Niall drummed. Louis pouted in his direction before kicking off his shoe and shoving his foot in his face. “Ew. Gotta stop that, too, mate.”</p><p>Louis nuzzled his face into Harry’s chest, turning so he was lying on Harry. “I missed you.” The green was extra bright in his eyes tonight. Louis ran his hands down his face, skin soft and succulent. “Like, I really missed you.”</p><p>Harry gave a soft, happy chuckle, smile one of curiosity, “Yeah?”</p><p>Louis nodded, gazing slightly upward while enjoying the warm pattern Harry’s hands were tracing into his back. “You’re the highlight of my day, Harry, every day. Inside or outside of this stupid prison.” Well, aside from his son, but he hadn’t been able to hear or get excited about anything going on with him in a while, so it was beside the point.</p><p>Laughing heavily, Harry’s lips pressed against Louis’ for the briefest of seconds. “I wouldn’t go there. I am a lunatic in the real world. Total douche.”</p><p>Louis smirked. “Really? I bet you’re a womanizer!”</p><p>“You got me,” Harry snorted, wiping at his eyes as his smile forced tears to them. “It’s not hard to get excited for someone when you just remind them of amazing orgasms from the night before.”</p><p>Louis bit his lip, not liking the words he was hearing. He was so much more to him than a silly orgasm, no matter how good the orgasms were. So he nosed at Harry’s neck, which was now scarring from the scratch marks and turning purple in other places. “Eh. They aren’t that amazing. They really don’t have much pull on my excitement.”</p><p>When he sneaked a glance upward, he found Harry beaming as he struggled to hold back emotion. “Honest?” And to any other pair, it would have been a true insult, but not them. They both knew their sex  was amazing so far and would only get better. There was no room for doubt there. It was what was in between where they were on such unsure footing. It was new territory in a new environment, so Louis decided he’d be blunt.</p><p>“Absolutely. I’d take our midnight talks over sex hands down. We don’t have to have sex at all really, if you’re not -,”</p><p>“No, no, no,” Harry’s voice got high for a moment, giving Louis time to smirk up at him when he cleared it. “We’re having sex tonight. Yeah – I just…didn’t know you felt that about me. I like it.”</p><p>Louis shrugged, aiming for a nonchalance gesture. “Like I told everyone here, Hazza, you’re mine. I don’t toss that around lightly.”</p><p>Harry hummed in appreciation as his lips kissed at his ear. “Have you ever ‘tossed it around’ before?” And suddenly, it felt like they weren’t just talking about being interested in someone. They were talking about so much more. Louis licked his lips and shook his head, shocked by how quickly he decided to give up that information.</p><p>“I’ve dated before, but it really was just sex and flirting. Never actually wanted to talk to them about serious shit, you know? This is…” Louis sighed, shifting uncomfortably as he was feeling oddly exposed despite being wrapped up in someone’s arms. As if sensing that, Harry held him tighter.</p><p>“I-,” but before Harry could say anything, James clapped his hands and got everyone’s attention, even if there was a small part of Louis twirling one of Harry’s curls around his finger.</p><p>“All right, you ugly geezers! We have a gig!”</p><p>Louis snorted.</p><p>“In two weeks, we’ll perform for the prison Friday night! It’ll be something for everyone to look forward to. There will be good, and if I push hard enough, maybe I can get your families to join in for the next concert!”</p><p>Louis and Harry stilled simultaneously. “Our family? You’re joking!”</p><p>Liam stood and clamped James on the back. “It was in the works for a while now. I really believe more time with your families is beneficial for certain prisoners. It shows you what really matters in life – nudges you in the right direction. Our warden, Simon Cowell, is contemplating signing off. The concert and food will be from six to nine with around two hours of concert time.”</p><p>“Wow,” Harry mumbled.</p><p>Louis gulped. He had family. He had loads of family. But he didn’t want a single one of them to see him in jail, let alone enjoying his time here. It was an embarrassment on both ends.</p><p>Liam nodded grimly. “Fingers crossed for the next time!”</p><p>James cleared his throat with his happy smile and said, “Yes, and I’ve chosen the perfect songs from your list here! We should definitely set about rehearsing now, right? Let’s start with Perfect…”</p><p>This was one of the songs Louis and Harry had written together. On Louis’ part, it was inspired a lot from Harry. So when they sang this song, it was no wonder that Louis ended up on his lap. It was only fair, considering Liam needed to sit closer to the boys in the first place.</p><p>As always, the session went well. Louis enjoyed it even more since this was just extra time to be close to Harry. As horrible as it sounded, Harry offered him something to look forward to within the routine of prison life. His son was the big picture, of course, but getting to see Harry every night helped day by day when things slowed to a drag.</p><p>Towards the end of the session, Louis was focused on Harry’s lips as they moved. “What if Niall harmonized with Liam during the last verse?”</p><p>James pretended to think about that. Louis snorted because it was always funny to think Harry’s advice wouldn’t be taken. For whatever reason, Harry was a genius in the vocal arts. Louis at least studied it for a bit in uni, so his knowledge made sense. However, it wasn’t terribly surprising to hear Harry was just a natural in general. His deep voice would do things to anyone.</p><p>“Yes. I like that. Let’s try that whole song again,” James said, eliciting a groan from everyone.</p><p>“Why don’t we call it quits after that? You can leave a little early and get a jump on showers,” Liam rubbed at his throat.</p><p>Louis jumped to his feet. “I’ve never heard such a brilliant idea from you before, Payno!”</p><p>Liam glared at him while the rest of the boys more or less snickered in agreement. “Fine. Be horrid at the performance. See if I care!” James threw his hands up hotly. “Alright, from the top.”</p><p>Louis began the song, but Harry quickly took over, which was fine. He had better things to do. Watching Harry’s lips move as he sang, his eyes so open and honest and trying, his throat bobbing and straining made Louis’ stomach clench. Scooting further back into Harry, he ignored the rest of the boys and watched him for a few seconds, finding his throat to be far too tempting to ignore. So during the chorus that Harry and Liam were singing, Louis leaned forward and pressed his lips to his throat.</p><p>An audible hitch of breath could be heard. Harry’s hand gripped his waist tightly, in almost a warning fashion, but Louis ignored him as he kissed down his taught skin. When he was finally done with the chorus, he relaxed slightly and tried to pull back enough to give Louis a glare, but Louis only smirked and began sucking a love bite into his skin again. When it was time for Louis to sing the chorus, he did pull away, but he let his hands sneak under Harry’s shirt, fingers twiddling with his nipples as Harry began to squirm beneath him.</p><p>That was exactly where he wanted him.</p><p>Harry’s solo came up next, so Louis jumped right back at his throat, enjoying the way Harry’s voice cracked at one part and went so low it was nearly a moan at another. All through the chorus, Louis kissed his way towards Harry’s chest and back up again. He received an annoyed look from James, but that was easily ignored. Right at the end, he ran his tongue along his ear slightly before truly kissing and sucking on it, making Harry choke off completely. Liam held the chorus just fine as it transitioned into the final verse with Niall joining in, giving Harry the perfect chance to turn his head and capture Louis’ lips in his own.</p><p>This kiss was far from the chaste one shared only a short time before. Harry’s wet lips slid along his in a passionate manner, trying to dig deep enough to convey his sudden need for Louis. His fingers dug into Louis’ thighs, and ever so slightly, he pressed his hips upward, making Louis very aware of what his actions had caused.</p><p>“Bloody hell, you two!” Niall groaned, throwing a pack of lube previously hidden under the couch cushions at them, forcing Harry to reluctantly separate from Louis with a red face. “Way to ruin a song.”</p><p>“The both of you sounded like first year choir girls,” James grimaced in dismay. “I think Liam’s right. At the least, the two of you need to turn in early. Go find a corner or something.”</p><p>Harry hung his head, mumbling a slight apology, but Louis was already on his feet. “We will. Thanks, lads!”</p><p>Then, he was pulling Harry and Liam toward the door. Liam had to kindly escort them out early, and it looked like he was regretting his decision by the second. “I’m serious. You all need to practice. Both of your solos were shit.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah. We’ll practice tomorrow at lunch, alrigh’? We have more pressing matters to attend to now.” Louis dropped his hand from Harry’s in order to ruffle Liam’s hair. Looking like an angry, red faced engine from Thomas the Train, Liam led the group violently down the stairs and out the garage into the prison, bidding them a short goodnight.</p><p>Louis spun to face Harry as the others passed them by. His arms wound around Harry’s waist, pulling him close and inhaling his scent, savoring the smell of coconut shampoo and hints of cologne. There were still the unnerving smells of the kitchen lingering on him, so Louis crinkled his nose and blinked up at Harry. “We need a shower.”</p><p>Harry’s lifted lips dropped. “I’m always one for good hygiene, Lou, but now? I already have a semi…”</p><p>Louis smirked, pulling him in close so he could feel that Louis was well on his way there too. “Together, babe.”</p><p>“Wha-?”</p><p>Instead of answering, Louis tugged on Harry until he became pliant, following him obediently into the showers. Normally, they were let out towards the end of the showering session, but today, they were let out at least thirty minutes early. Nobody was out yet, and those who had this work session off had already taken a shower to avoid the wave of men coming in after their session. So, the showers were empty for the time being which meant they were going to get lucky.</p><p>“We can get the shower with the door.” Louis licked his lips, pushing Harry inside and letting the door swing close behind them. All the showers used to have doors without locks on them, but one by one they were quickly torn off their hinges. Now, there was one left with a door barely holding on, and there was almost always someone wanking off in it. Normally, they were silent, but there was a reason people were willing to wait in a long line every night for it.</p><p>“Fuck, okay,” Harry’s eyes dilated at the idea of having shower sex. “Wait. Give me your prosthetic. I’ll put it away while you finger yourself for me, okay? Don’t want it getting wet.”</p><p>Heat filled Louis’ chest, and he blinked in shock, not expecting either of those sentences to slip out of his mouth just then. “You – you don’t mind my prosthetic?”</p><p>Harry frowned. “Should I?”</p><p>Louis shrugged, slowly taking it off while leaning against the wall. “Everyone just kind of ignores that it’s there. I think it’s the stub that grosses them out, really.”</p><p>Harry scowled, stepping forward and gently taking the metal object from his hands. Then, he dropped to his knees briefly to kiss down Louis’ thigh and below his knees, pressing careful, feather-light pecks to his stub. It was fully healed, and Louis had been through so much therapy it rarely ever hurt anymore, but the light, kind gesture was enough to make his whole body radiate with peace. “It’s part of you. And I love every part of my Lou,” Harry said as he raised up again to kiss Louis.</p><p>“As kind and weird as that was,” Louis whispered against his lips, fighting off a smile, “Niall was right. We really need to stop rhyming.”</p><p>Harry threw his head back laughing. “Shut up and get to work.”</p><p>Louis watched as Harry nearly sprinted out of the showers before carefully removing his clothing, fiddling in the pockets of his trousers before finding the lube. He took a little time to palm himself to fully hard before opening the lube. All it took was him imagining what Harry was about to do to him to get his body relaxed and ready for his slicked up fingers.</p><p>After plunging one in, Louis shuddered. It was so much harder to do it himself. Pressing his forehead and hand against the wall, Louis focused on the feel of something inside him again. Yesterday, they’d settled with just blowjobs, neither wanting to risk full on sex with the more alert guards on duty that night. Tonight, Louis would get fucked to within an inch of his life like he’d been craving since the first time. With that in mind, Louis added a second finger, crooking them and whimpering quietly as he brushed his prostate.</p><p>“Jesus, Lou,” Harry breathed suddenly, making Louis jump in alarm. He hadn’t even heard the door open. “You’re so hot.”</p><p>In response, Louis whined, wiggling his bum. “Take over? Please. Your fingers are longer.”</p><p>Harry debated biting his lip as he slowly undressed himself. “I dunno. You didn’t even get the water hot and running. I think you deserve to be punished a bit, don’t you?”</p><p>Louis groaned, clenching his eyes shut as he tried desperately to finger himself harder, but it was impossible with his short, dainty fingers. There was a reason he never masturbated via fingering himself. So he worked on scissoring his hole, trying to prepare him as fast as possible. “Harder, babe,” Harry said suddenly from right behind him, making Louis jump again, this time falling back into Harry’s chest with a moan, fingers hitting his prostate forcefully, almost painfully. “You can do better than that, Louis. Add another.” Harry’s hot voice sent chills down his body. His lips were right against his ear, and then he was kissing his ear, making Louis fully melt back into him.</p><p>Right as Louis inserted a third finger, Harry reached forward and turned the water on suddenly. Freezing cold water rushed over them. Louis screamed, falling back in attempt to get free, but Harry stilled him in his arms, hand moving around and wrapping around his dick, keeping it at the least more than freezing.</p><p>“Shh,” Harry mumbled against his neck as he began sucking a mark into his skin again. Outside of prison, Louis never was a fan of love bites, but inside the prison, they served as a great method of showing who was his and off limits. The water was finally warming between them, Harry’s hair falling on their shoulders as Harry began pumping Louis faster. “Can you make yourself cum, Louis? Let me watch you play with yourself.”</p><p>Louis whined as Harry took his hand away, instantly replacing it with Louis’. “Need your help, Haz.”</p><p>“Mhmm, I don’t think you do,” he said, cradling Louis as he worked his three fingers inside him faster. He was close, that was for sure, and feeling Harry toy with his nipples every now and again made his head swim, but he needed something more.</p><p>“Harry, please,” Louis panted, eyes searching his desperately. “Please. Can’t reach…”</p><p>With three fingers inside himself at such an odd angle, there was no way he was touching his prostate, and he did not want to come from wanking alone – he’d done that for all his life. Finding pity on Louis, Harry chuckled smugly and pulled Louis’ fingers out of his hole. “You just need it a little harder, don’t you, baby?” And on that word, Harry thrust three semi-lubricated fingers inside Louis without warning, causing the smaller man to scream in ecstasy. “You almost had it. Touch yourself, love. Let me see you come.”</p><p>Louis frantically moved his hand up and down his shaft, every now and then pressing his thumb into the slit. Harry only thrust his fingers in him harder and farther, and then he crooked them and hit his prostate so hard his eyes rolled to the back of his head, free hand clawing at Harry’s neck as Louis melted and came against the wall hard.</p><p>“Oh god, Harry,” Louis whimpered, eyes bright as Harry turned him around. He loved seeing Harry like this, feeding off of the moment of sexual exploration between the two. Louis had no idea Harry would find him masturbating hot, but he definitely found Harry watching him do so hot. It was uncharacteristic of the man in everyday life, so much more controlling, which made it that much hotter. Louis knew this side of Harry that nobody else knew, not even Nick he’d bet.</p><p>“Good boy,” Harry licked his lips once before stepping fully into the hot stream of water, pressing Louis against the wall with his cum sliding down it. He kissed him hard, tongue licking in his mouth without hesitation, fingers gripping his bum and lifting him up.</p><p>“Fuck me,” Louis pled, eyes staring into the green ones with pure desire. Harry didn’t look away once as he lined up with Louis’ stretched out hole, but then he frowned, and Louis knew why. “Now. Please. I like a little burn.”</p><p>“You’re beyond perfect,” Harry kissed him again, teeth pulling at his lip as he pressed the tip in. There was a lot of lube left from him fingering himself, but it paled in comparison to the size of Harry. It burned, but the feeling of being filled up completely to the point of burning was so fulfilling Louis found himself already getting hard again. Harry noticed, cursing under his breath with a rueful smile. Grinning, Louis wiggled his hips down further until he bottomed out with a tight huff of air.</p><p>Then, Harry pulled out and slammed back in without hesitation, causing Louis to squeal. He did it again, eyes locked with Louis’ as they created a rhythm together. Harry’s hands held his hips tightly, helping him move as Louis fisted his wet hair and tugged, eliciting a loud moan from Harry that was undeniably addicting. And then Harry pressed Louis’ legs up against his chest, leaning in and kissing him while simultaneously fucking directly into Louis’ prostate.</p><p>“Yes, yes. Right there, fuck, Harry,” Louis moaned, uncaring of anyone entering the showers anymore.</p><p>He pulled on his hair, and this time Harry smacked his bum and ground out, “Louis – god!”</p><p>Heat was building tight in Louis’ stomach for the second time that night, and he swore they were well on their way to coming when the door suddenly swung open. However, Harry didn’t notice it at all. He kept fucking into Louis, pace growing erratic as his lips kissed his neck.</p><p>Nick Grimshaw standing murderously in the doorway, shaking with rage. A slow, smug smirk spread across Louis’ lips before Harry bit sharply into his skin and rammed against his prostate harshly, and then Louis’ eyes were closing as he screamed, “Harry!” and came so hard he saw black dance across his vision. That seemed to send Harry over the edge because he was soon moaning into Louis’ skin, burying himself deep inside Louis and finally stopping, panting like he’d just run a marathon.</p><p>“What. The. Fuck.” Nick growled from behind them, causing Harry to straighten completely. He looked over his shoulder and separated from Louis with a scowl.</p><p>And Louis didn’t know what he was expecting from Harry. Fear coursed through him suddenly, not at the sight of Nick, but at the idea that Harry might be concerned with what Nick thought of him right now. He’d never felt such worry so suddenly before in his life. He wanted Harry to feel like he did right now – smug and scandalous. He didn’t want Harry to feel guilty, not about Louis, and not because of Nick. “Taking my sloppy seconds now, are we, Tommo?”</p><p>Normally, Louis would play into his banter, but Nick was angry and interrupting great sex, which made Louis irritated. He clenched his fists, praying Nick tried to fight him. Without a leg, he couldn’t initiate shit, but once he got Nick on the ground, he was done for.</p><p>“Jealous, are we, Nick?” Louis spat, no longer caring for cordiality. Nick flinched back at his first name. “Harry’s always been my first choice, and judging from that orgasm, he should have been yours, you manipulative psychopath. So, get the fuck out of here.”</p><p>Nick stepped forward, eyeing Louis like he was ready to throw a fist. Louis prayed he did. He’d give anything to punch him again just for reminding him of his and Harry’s past. He’d mistreated Harry to the point of breaking him, and for that Louis would always want Nick dead.</p><p>“You will pay for this, Tommo. Not so strong without your peg leg, are you?” Nick hissed.</p><p>Louis shrugged, smirking. “Kind of pays off though, doesn’t it? Harry here puts me into positions you couldn’t even dream of because of it.”</p><p>Nick curled his lip, and then he was stalking toward Louis, who braced himself for a few punches, knowing he’d have trouble blocking or hitting without another leg for balance. But before Nick’s fist connected with his face, Harry stepped around Louis and punched Nick in the eye, quickly turning around and elbowing him in the jaw. Nick fell to the ground groaning, clutching his jaw with wide, fearful eyes that looked almost hurt, as well. They were glued to Harry, as if expecting an apology, and his face broke when he realized he wouldn’t get that. Then it hit Louis.</p><p>Nick felt betrayed.</p><p>Harry crouched by Nick and growled, “Don’t come near me or Louis again. Ever. Understand?” He pushed his head into the ground harshly, making Nick sob embarrassingly, and then Harry stood, wrapping an arm around Louis’ waist and helping him out of the shower.</p><p>“That was so hot, Hazza,” Louis preened as Harry and he quickly dried off. He expected Harry to be angry still. After all, his ex was weaseling his way into the sexual details of his current love life. Louis would understand if he had anger still pointed at Nick. However, Harry looked up from drying off his legs with a grin.</p><p>“It was, wasn’t it?”</p><p>Louis laughed giddily. Harry was so unphased by it all. Any emotions toward Nick were completely gone, it seemed. So when they were dressed again and Harry picked Louis up in his arms, swiftly carrying him back to their cell, Louis pressed his lips against his cheek. They climbed into bed together, neither speaking of anything at all, just cuddling and taking in the other’s scent. Once the lights went off, and the guards who were thankfully okay with ignoring their sleeping arrangements passed, Louis sighed into Harry’s chest in a sleepy state.</p><p>“Thank you, Harry. You saved me today,” Louis hummed.</p><p>“Just repaying you for all the times you’ve saved me,” Harry whispered into his ear. Louis frowned, looking at him through sleep-ridden eyes.</p><p>“You save me on a daily basis,” Louis mumbled with a frown, burying his face into his chest. “I love you for that, you know.” He yawned into Harry’s slightly stiff chest, enjoying the warmth he radiated. “Good night, Haz.”</p><p>Louis didn’t fall asleep immediately. Instead, he lied there listening to Harry breathe deeply. His heart clenched at the angelic sight. All he could think about was how much he prayed Harry wouldn’t slip away from him.</p><p>. . .</p><p>“Perfect timing, really,” James gushed at lunch the day before their performance.</p><p>“That’s great,” Niall said. “Our performance will send you out of this place with good memories!”</p><p>James smiled. “I meant now that Nick’s in the hospital ward with a locked jaw for six weeks and everyone seems to be following Louis again, I can leave without worrying if you lads will be fine!”</p><p>Louis exchanged a glance with Harry. They both snickered a bit. “Yeah, mate. You were vital to getting the rule down around here,” Louis said in a falsely serious tone. Harry elbowed him, telling him to be polite.</p><p>“I was! Thank you,” James huffed. “Do you think the band will be okay without me?”</p><p>Now even Harry had trouble keeping laughter out of his voice. “We’ll manage.”</p><p>“We still need a name,” Niall pointed out as he stuffed his face with food. That man was always eating. “Lots thinks something positive in case we continue it out of prison,” he snorted, “but I’m not getting out of here for another fifteen years. She seems to be very optimistic.”</p><p>Louis stiffened. That nickname sounded very familiar. “Lots as in…my sister Lottie?”</p><p>Niall looked up, eyes wide as saucers. “…no?”</p><p>Louis’ fists clenched. “Who else has the nickname Lots then?”</p><p>Niall glanced around the table at everyone momentarily, cheeks reddening. Then, he sighed. “Okay. It might be your sister.”</p><p>“Why are you speaking to my sister?” Louis began to rise from the table, but Harry quickly pulled him back down.</p><p>“Breathe,” he whispered in his ear, but it didn’t help him. The mere idea that Niall even spoke to his sister made his blood boil. His perfect, pure sister who was going places shouldn’t even be visiting this prison.</p><p>“My sister doesn’t need to be talking to a bloody murderer!” Louis growled loudly, calling the attention of the whole cafeteria. Niall bit his lip, trying to avoid looking at Louis.</p><p>“Um, I hate to point this out, but you’re a bloody murderer,” James said, chuckling nervously. Louis took a deep breath, tying to keep his face from becoming too heated.</p><p>A small part of him wanted to point out that he hardly ever spoke to his family anymore because of that fact. Harry could clearly sense that as he wrapped a hand around his waist firmly.</p><p>“She’s very friendly,” Niall stammered. “It’s nice having someone to talk to that knows what’s going on in the outside world!” When that didn’t seem good enough to appease Louis, Niall added. “It’s just talking – I swear.”</p><p>“It bloody better be!” Louis clenched his jaw. “No thought of anything more, alright? She doesn’t need to wait fifteen years on an angry drunk! She deserves way better than you.”</p><p>“Louis!” Harry shouted, voice hurt, like he’d insulted him instead of Niall. One look at the Irishmen explained it though. Instead of being his fidgety, alight self, Niall’s eyes were downcast and solemn, like Louis had addressed a point he’d been trying to ignore. He was on the verge of crying. “Enough.”</p><p>Louis turned to Harry, eyes still angry and temper short. “You don’t tell me ‘enough,’” he hissed with venom, expression stony and full of authority.</p><p>Harry’s eyebrows shot to his hairline. His eyes searched Louis’ cold ones for a moment before he looked to his lap. “Right then,” he muttered before quickly standing from the table. “Niall, I’ll walk with you to Liam’s office if you want to go now.”</p><p>Niall didn’t say anything. He just got up and nodded, which Louis would admit was very uncharacteristic of him. As Harry began to leave, Louis yanked on his wrist. “What are you doing?”</p><p>Harry’s eyes flashed coldly. “Leaving. Or am I not allowed to, Tommo?”</p><p>Louis’ jaw dropped. When Harry jerked his hand away, Louis didn’t fight him. Harry never called him Tommo.</p><p>“That doesn’t sound good, mate,” James cackled. Louis’ glare turned his way, so he held his hands up in surrender. “Hey. I’m getting out in a week. You can’t hurt me, so I’m allowed to say that.”</p><p>Louis growled. At least the others sitting at their table had the decency to pretend to respect Louis as the leader he was. “You all think you can bloody do what you want like I’m your friend!” He spat with disgust. This was not how their system worked.</p><p>James kicked him lightly under the table. “Have it how you want it, but I would consider us your friends. You have to have someone here your equal. As for Harry…I don’t think you being his ‘dominating alpha’ is a healthy relationship.”</p><p>Louis readied back an angry retort, but James stood. “I’m just saying, if you let someone in, you can’t expect them to stay unless you give them equal respect.”</p><p>James walked away without another word. Louis glanced around the table only to find he only somewhat knew the others sitting there. They were all very loyal to him, but they were in their own worlds. He wouldn’t talk to any of them casually.</p><p>It made James’ words ring in his head.</p><p>Regardless of Niall, he did know one thing: Harry was pissed.</p><p>. . .</p><p>Louis got back to the cell earlier than normal, hoping Harry would be there. He didn’t know how much groveling he’d have to do, but the guards tonight were on their side. Since Nick had gone silent, Louis was able to bribe a few more guards to be on their side, some that were on the actual floor. That meant they could have sex tonight without worrying about the guards busting them.</p><p>But Louis feared he had a lot of apologizing to do before they got to the sex part.</p><p>Harry came back to the cell five minutes before role call, the latest he’d ever come in, but when he entered the cell he took one look at Louis lying on Harry’s bed and groaned.</p><p>After having sex most nights, they quickly deemed Harry’s bed the sex bed and Louis’ bed the sleep bed. Harry washed his sheets as often as allowed, but that still only meant once every week.</p><p>“How was your evening?” Louis asked, sitting up as Harry got undressed. His hair was still wet from his shower. When he didn’t answer, Louis sat up. “Haz?”</p><p>“Oh, I can speak now?” Harry asked incredulously. “Thanks for the permission, sir.”</p><p>Louis scowled. He hopped off the bed. “Is this about earlier? Look, I was angry. That’s my sister and-,”</p><p>“That’s so far from the problem,” Harry huffed. “But just for the record, you really hurt Niall today, too.”</p><p>Louis wanted to groan, but he withstood. “It’s my sister, Harry. She’s a good person. Niall’s great, but she doesn’t need to be getting involved with one of us.”</p><p>Harry tossed his arms up and scoffed. “For a second time prisoner, you have the most stereotypical opinions of prison folk.” Louis gaped. “You know Niall. You know how nice he is! If anyone has anger issues, it’s you. So next time you insult him, think again who the nicer person here is. Because today, it definitely wasn’t you.”</p><p>Louis’ jaw dropped. Harry was angry. He was really angry. Based off what James said, Louis had figured he was annoyed with him, but he hadn’t been expecting Harry to be genuinely mad.</p><p>“I – sorry,” Louis muttered. “I guess I was harsh.”</p><p>“Harsh?” Harry scoffed. “You were blatantly rude. For no reason.”</p><p>“I’m sorry, Haz,” Louis stepped forward and ran his hands down his arms. “I didn’t -,”</p><p>Harry tensed, stepping back with glossy green eyes. “I thought you were Nick for a second.”</p><p>Louis faltered. “What?”</p><p>Harry sighed, sitting on the bed and looking at Louis with concern. “That’s how Nick would speak to me towards the end. Like what I said didn’t matter. Like he owned me.”</p><p>Louis quieted. His words sort of floored him. “I…” He sat beside Harry on the bed. “Fuck. I’m sorry, Harry. I snapped. I – God I’m sorry. You don’t deserve that.”</p><p>Harry nodded tiredly, in a way that reminded Harry of how he looked when he first met him, back when he lived with painful resignation.</p><p>“I don’t know what it is with you alpha-personalities,” Harry shuddered. “But if being an egotistical asshole is part of the job, I can’t do it again.”</p><p>Louis’ throat tightened. “No. Harry – I swear that’s not me. I’m sorry. You’re amazing, and you’re your own person. I know that. I just – I snapped. I swear, you’re all that matters to me here.”</p><p>Harry nodded grimly. He slowly climbed into bed, staring across the room and avoiding Louis’ gaze. “Then start showing it.”</p><p>Louis just stared at Harry, fear creeping up his throat even more. He thought Louis was Nick. He said he had an ‘alpha-personality.’ And looking back on it, maybe Harry wasn’t far off. It was just too easy to get caught up in trying to manage everybody. ‘Asserting dominance’ in prison really didn’t leave room to be nice and friendly.</p><p>But there was no way he could have Harry without being nice. Harry deserved nice. He deserved more than nice.</p><p>“Stop staring and come cuddle, you jerk,” Harry grunted, making Louis jump. After heaving a sigh, Louis stripped himself of his shirt and shuffled down into the bed, forcing his way under Harry’s arms. Harry hugged him closer, making the fear in Louis’ heart subside slightly.</p><p>“So that’s a no on sex…?”</p><p>“Don’t push it.”</p><p>Louis smiled faintly. It’d be okay. It had to be.</p><p>. . .</p><p>Their performance went great. James introduced them with a comedy act that nearly sent Liam into a nervous breakdown because that was definitely unplanned. It turned out to be absolutely hilarious.</p><p>When the four of them stepped out into the courtyard on that semi-warm night, none of them were prepared for how large their audience was. The entire prison was there.</p><p>Louis never realized that when Liam said all the prisoners would attend he truly meant all. That also meant all the guards. Even the warden was stuck somewhere in the crowd. It was insane.</p><p>Nick sat in his small circle of members, being watched by Modest, but Louis didn’t let him put him down. This wasn’t about Nick.</p><p>“Hello everybody!” Liam said happily. “If you haven’t met me before, I’m Doctor Liam Payne. I’ve been working at the prison for the past few months with a select number of willing prisoners trying to focus on rehabilitation rather than just punishment for their crimes. We can go about that in many ways, but with these three lads, we went about it through music. Honing in on their musical interests allowed them to find who they want to be and how to get there, along with therapy sessions. If any of you are interested, please stop by my office. But now, let’s see what we’ve been working on…”</p><p>Liam was a nervous speaker. That much was obvious. So Louis grabbed the microphone quickly and gave everyone his biggest smile.</p><p>“Hello everybody!” he said, meeting the eyes of the people he knew disliked him most. This was a group performance, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t use it to further ‘the rebellion’ as he liked to call it. “We’ve been practising our arses off, right lads? Sooo even if we sound like nails on a chalkboard, you’re going to clap, alrigh’? Don’t wanna ruin our spirits, now do we?” He paused while the crowd looked at him like they had no idea of the answer. “Great! Here’s Rock Me.”</p><p>The song was a hit. Some of the guards even videoed it, which made the rest of the boys falter, but Louis was used to the camera. He slung his arm around Harry and sang cheekily to him until he relaxed enough to join back in. Their voices compounded together, which they had grown used to while practising, but they seemed to resonate somewhat perfectly with the shitty microphones and speakers given to them. It was a great couple of songs. Despite the lyrics being on the softer side, everyone seemed to like their singing. Some, like Rock Me, were catchy and dirty and the prisoners ate it up. There were a million wolf whistles after that song, and just for show, Louis gave Harry a raunchy snog, savoring the taste of his lips, as always.</p><p>“We’re being filmed, Lou,” Harry hissed after the kiss, and Louis turned to the camera thoughtfully for a moment before raising his middle finger and grinning at it. The guard holding the phone pumped his fist as Louis blatantly tucked himself into Harry’s side and groped his bum. Harry chuckled nervously. “That’s one way to come out.”</p><p>Louis shrugged. “I’ve killed someone. Don’t think management feels my image can be any worse. Besides, that guard will sell that video for some big money. He’ll be on our side after this.”</p><p>To ensure just that, Louis mouthed, ‘You’re welcome’ at him, and the guard held a thumbs up.</p><p>Harry beamed so big Louis wasn’t sure there was anything else that could make him so happy. He wrapped an arm around Louis’ chest from behind, pulling Louis into him for the entire next song. Louis felt secure, pressed up against Harry’s firm chest, inhaling his coconut/vanilla scent. Harry was everything. Without him, this prison sentence would be so bleak and worthless and drawn out.</p><p>That thought made Louis freeze. Suddenly, prison felt like it was going by too fast. It didn’t make any sense, but it was just that Harry had so many years here, and Louis only had a small number (depending on what the warden decided after his many fights) this time around. It was a miracle he got out the first time, which was the main reason he was ever imprisoned again for breaking the custody agreement. It wasn’t that Louis wanted to stay longer, but he couldn’t stop wondering what would happen with Harry and he when he got out. He couldn’t bear to just end it as a prison bitch fling because – because no. That wasn’t what this was.</p><p>“Lou, sing,” Harry pinched his hip, reminding him of where they were. His green eyes teased his with mirth, and Louis decided that was enough to make him relax. There was still a lot of time with him left. He really felt a little silly and a lot guilty for actually wanting more time in prison and away from his son. He was seconds away from saying three fatal words to Harry amid the onlooking crowd, but Harry pinched him again to remind him to sing, and the moment was lost.</p><p>After the concert, the crowd prisoners left first, and then it was just them and the guards. There were a lot more of them than normal, and a ton of faces that hadn’t been around the place before.</p><p>“C-can you sign my jersey, please?”</p><p>Louis spun around, frown of confusion on his face as he took in the scrawny guard that was skinnier than even Zayn. He was young looking, too. Nobody ever asked for his signature around here. The guards got over his fame his first time in prison and replaced it with contempt over his ‘arrogant, own-the-place’ attitude.</p><p>“This one’s new, Tommo,” Liam came up beside the scrawny guard. “Rookies still get star struck. We have a whole squad here who are dying for your autograph.”</p><p>Louis shifted on his feet, glancing over at the rest of his mates as they were slowly being escorted to their cells. Harry made a mooney-eyed face, laughing at the fame Louis still had. With a sigh, he shrugged. “Not gonna say no to pleasing soon-to-be guards.”</p><p>“That’s the spirit!” Liam grinned, shoving him in the direction of the younger looking crowd.</p><p>Louis did his fair share of signing and talking football to the guards. It was cool. He hadn’t done that in years. After his first imprisonment, not many people came up to him again in public. He never had any official outings, and since he didn’t play anymore, he never got swarmed by fans or asked for signatures and such. He didn’t exactly miss the craze of being somewhat famous, but it was something he’d forgotten about. Back when he was first starting out, it was everything to him. It was exhilarating, and he felt so wanted and admired and adored by the number of fans.</p><p>Now, though, it was cool reminiscing on the good football days, even if it pulled drastically at his heart at the reminder that it could never begin to happen again for so many reasons. Overall, though, his mind skipped to Harry and that beautiful smile and curls waiting for him in bed. He wanted to hear his thoughts on their performance. He wanted to hear his excited giggle that was bound to come out. He wanted to ask him his thoughts on their future. He wanted to hear his reassurance.</p><p>“Hey, Willy, I think I could take on Tommo,” smirked one of the guards. Louis snorted, crossing his arms and sizing up the lad.</p><p>“In your wet dreams, Hanson,” snickered someone in the group.</p><p>The guy growled, taking a noticeable step back from Louis. “Not – I didn’t – I thought you were straight.”</p><p>Louis rolled his eyes. Now he really wanted to get back to his cell, which was such a weird thought, but that was where Harry was.</p><p>“I never said that.”</p><p>“But you have a kid.”</p><p>Louis shrugged. “Astute observation. We done here? Great.”</p><p>Louis made his way back to the guards on deck, who took him into the halls with the other prisoners heading toward their respective cells. Louis made sure to find Preston and pass along the order to get one of his buddies to rough up the rookie named Hanson whenever he started.</p><p>He passed Niall on the way back, tousling his hair and telling him good job. He and Niall were still a little tense. Louis could admit he’d been harsh on Niall, but it was his sister. He felt quite justified, even if Niall might have been the best-hearted person here aside from Harry.</p><p>His train of thought moved back to Harry, excitement pulsing in his blood at the knowledge that he was waiting for him in their cell. Louis may still be in the doghouse, but at least he’d get some cuddles from Harry tonight. He was almost skipping as he rounded the corner to his cell with a big grin.</p><p>“Hazza, that was – Harry?” Louis frowned as he saw a mess on the floor and two barren beds. Louis’ pulse jumped, pounding inside his ears as he looked under the beds and found nothing. He spun around and looked at the guard desperately. “Harry’s missing.”</p><p>The guard sighed. “He was in your singing group, yeah? He’s probably out there still. He’ll make it back-,”</p><p>“No,” Louis growled, fists clenching as he stepped forward. “He left long before me. He – something happened.”</p><p>The guard rolled his eyes. “Stop being dramatic, Tommo. Your little bitch will come calling soon.”</p><p>Louis swung without thinking about it, fist connecting with his eye before Louis could even blink. The thing was, this guard was sort of on their side, but fear and anger did not mix well with Louis. He swung again, causing the guard to fall into the cell and hit his head, sending him to the ground.</p><p>Cheering erupted from the surrounding cells, but Louis didn’t have time to focus on them. He spat by the guard’s head. “Know your place, you fucking loser,” he sneered, and then he took off.</p><p>He had no idea where to go, but he didn’t have much time. Harry wasn’t one to wander off and risk getting a late citation from the guards. In fact, Louis was decently positive the guards escorted everyone back from the cafeteria.</p><p>Ice ran through Louis’ veins at the realization that a guard had to have taken Harry. A guard dared to touch Harry. Louis sprinted faster, trying to resist the urge to yell, even as the alarms sounded. He had to get to Harry. He was in trouble. He didn’t know who took him, but Louis had a good idea where the best place to beat someone up – or worse was. It was the very place Louis and Harry met.</p><p>Dashing down the stairs and toward the laundry halls, Louis didn’t even chance a glance around corners. He was running out of time. Soon the guards would find him, and then there was no way he’d save Harry. Even the thought of someone laying a hand on Harry sickened Louis. His fists were shaking, and when he turned the corner and ran directly into someone, Louis still tried to scramble his way out of his grasp.</p><p>“Tommo! Stop!”</p><p>Liam’s voice was chilling in the cold basement. It halted Louis because now he had a chance.</p><p>“Liam, please! Harry – he’s missing. The room was a mess and he’s not there and – and we have to find him. Someone - a guard – I don’t know – he’s taken Harry. We have to - ,”</p><p>Liam sighed deeply, looking behind them at the two other guards following him. They helped Liam up and began to restrain Louis, who immediately fought against it. “Liam!”</p><p>“We know!” Liam groaned tiredly, rubbing his head. “That’s what we’re doing here now. Jansen reported him missing – didn’t say you were, too.”</p><p>Jansen – the guard Louis punched – surprised Louis. He supposed some people did still cave to the classic rough-and-tough them up method.</p><p>“I’m helping.” Louis decided. Liam’s nose crinkled – a sure sign he was about to turn him down. “Liam. This isn’t a negotiation.”</p><p>Louis wasn’t confident he could take all three of them, but he was sure he could try. Liam looked him in the eye, cold and calculating, until finally his shoulders slumped.</p><p>“Fine. Just because it’d be a waste of time. Let him go boys. He’s not trying to escape when Harry’s missing,” Liam explained.</p><p>“Yeah, right,” scoffed a guard Louis didn’t recognize – probably a newbie.</p><p>Louis elbowed him roughly, forcing the guard to drop his arms. “He’s my boyfriend and you have an awful grip. Let’s go.”</p><p>Distantly, Louis heard the third guard whisper to the rookie, “You don’t mess with Tommo, dude. You just don’t.”</p><p>Louis took off immediately, and he could hear the others following behind, but their weapons weighed them down. That wasn’t an issue for him. He didn’t need weapons to murder whoever took his Harry.</p><p>Louis found him in the laundry room. It was an immediate flashback to the day they met. Harry was bent over with a hand on his upper back and someone standing directly behind him. The only difference was that this time around, Harry’s eyes didn’t show resignation – they showed fear and brokenness and were pleading for help. The moment he saw Louis, hope spurred to life. The other difference was that it wasn’t a random prisoner behind him. It was Modest, two fingers deep in Harry, that looked up and laughed at Louis.</p><p>“And what are you going to do?” Modest snickered, free hand moving to the gun resting on the table pointing directly at the door where Louis stood. “Not one more ste-,”</p><p>He never finished the sentence because Harry flung his body to the side, head hitting the gun and sending it pointing at the dryers. Immediately, Louis launched himself over the table and tackled Modest. Harry yelped, and Louis could only imagine it was from the pain of rapid, unlubricated fingers separating from his body. It only fueled Louis’ rage.</p><p>Louis let his fists fly, pounding into the man on the ground relentlessly. At some point, Modest fought back, and a loud ringing of a gun sounded, echoing in Louis’ ears, but he didn’t care. He didn’t feel more than a pinch in his side because he was so enraged. Liam could be heard, but it was distant. He was sure Modest was unconscious at some point, but he didn’t want to stop. He touched something angelic and pure. He touched the only person who believed that Louis was any good. He touched the love of his life. There was no stopping for that.</p><p>Until everything went black.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. A Plan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Louis woke up in a hospital. It wasn’t even just the infirmary. It was a real hospital without bars on the window. Of course, he was handcuffed to the bed.</p><p>He didn’t know how long it had been. He didn’t know anything except a pulsing pain in his side.</p><p>“Boo bear?”</p><p>Louis’ head whipped toward the door. Two guards stood at the edges of the door, and between them was someone Louis hadn’t seen in years.</p><p>“Mum?” Louis whispered. Even if his chest wasn’t wrapped tightly, he felt like he couldn’t have moved. His nerves were shaking as she took a step inside the room. She looked older than he last recalled. It had been years. The last time he saw her was after the DUI crash when he screamed at her until she left the room in tears. She had more grey hair this time, but she was as beautiful as ever. “What – why are you here?”</p><p>Her hand reached out to rest on his shoulder, but she pulled it back before it could make contact. Her eyes held tears. “You’re my little baby,” she shrugged sadly. “And my baby was shot. Obviously, I’m coming to see you.”</p><p>“Mum…” Louis clenched his eyes shut in memory. At least she wasn’t seeing him in a disgusting prison, he reminded himself. Still, she deserved better than a son she only got to see when he was shot. “Mum, go home.”</p><p>“I will not,” she said without much room for debate in her tone. His eyes focused on her. She looked pissed. “You’ve not been a good son to me, Lou, but you can’t run from me anymore. It’s time to come home.”</p><p>Louis snorted, lifting his arms for emphasis but wincing when pain radiated from his right side. “Don’t you think I know that? Why do you think I sent you home? I’m a shit son. I killed people. I’m in jail. I’ve made an embarrassment of the Tomlinson name. I hardly ever see my son. You deserve a better son, Mum. So leave.”</p><p>Louis began to turn away, but she roughly yanked him back. “Louis William Tomlinson. Have I failed you as a parent?”</p><p>He frowned. “No. I-,”</p><p>“Then why would you ever think anything you did would diminish the love I have for you?” she whispered, horrorstricken. A frown formed on his face, and then she was hugging him. “I will always love you, Louis. No matter what you do. Your actions aren’t excusable, but I will never walk out on you. Do you understand me?” He must have paused for too long. “Would you ever stop loving Freddie?”</p><p>“No,” he said slowly because things were finally making sense to him.</p><p>“Then maybe you should show that. In whatever ways you can,” her hands ran through his hair as she looked at him softly. She looked at him with affection and love. She looked at him no differently than before he spiraled out of control. If anything, she held more concern in her eyes, but she wasn’t disgusted with him as a person. Just his actions.</p><p>He never thought of that. He never thought that she’d still love him the same. It wasn’t a possibility. “You shouldn’t love me, Mum. I’ve done…terrible things.”</p><p>She hummed sadly. “Yes, love. I know. But you are not your actions.”</p><p>“You deserve better,” Louis whispered, feeling warm tears start to roll down his cheeks.</p><p>“Then be better,” she insisted, taking his hand between two of hers. She was warm. “Be better, Louis. Okay? Just…be better. For me. For your son.”</p><p>She didn’t say anything about making up for his actions. Maybe there was no making up for them, but he supposed he had no choice but to strive to be better from there. Not to make up for it. But to at least put it in the past as a separate part of his life.</p><p>“Okay,” he mumbled, eyes closing as more tears fell down his cheeks. He wasn’t prepared for this. Not at all. His whole body was still in shock at her presence. “Okay.”</p><p>“Would you like to talk about why you got shot now or after seeing Freddie?”</p><p>Louis’ eyes shot up. “What? No. Mum. I’m not ready for him yet. I – I’m still in me orange jumpa – Mum!”</p><p>Before he could do a single thing, his mum had disappeared outside and reappeared a minute later with the bright shining boy in her arms. He was so much bigger in the short time that Louis had been away. And his hair…his hair was styled just like Louis’ was in his prime days. It was swept all over the place. He may have had white blonde hair, but the eyes and style was all Louis.</p><p>“Freddie…my boy,” Louis whispered in awe, eyes spilling more tears despite his resistance. His heart was racing at a speed he had no idea how to control.</p><p>“Daddy!” Freddie exclaimed, squirming out of his mum’s arms and climbing up onto the bed. He was big enough to do that now. “Daddy, I missed you!” Freddie cried, flinging himself at Louis. He groaned as his right side erupted in pain, but he waved off his mum’s offer to lift him. Feeling this little guy squirm around on his stomach until he got comfortable was something he’d craved for months now. “Where did you go?”</p><p>Louis grimaced. “Well, love.” He contemplated how much he actually wanted to lie to him. Over Freddie’s shoulder, his mum winked. Maybe she was right. He’d never stop loving Freddie, and even if he was the worst person on the planet, that love was what Freddie needed to see. It’d be tainted with the bad, but Louis loved him enough that maybe it would outweigh it. “I did some bad things. And now I’ve been put in time out for them – but adult time out is in a whole new place outside of your home.”</p><p>Freddie’s bright blue eyes went wide before he scowled. “Oh. Mom puts me in time out a lot.”</p><p>His American accent was adorable and only hurt Louis’ soul a little bit. “Stop being a little rebel then, love,” Louis snickered, and so did Freddie as he nuzzled against Louis’ chest. He’d kill to have his hands to himself to wrap Freddie up in his arms and hold on to him for forever. Even now, feeling his warm little hands start to mess up his hair, it was like all the pain of the last six months disappeared. This was what he fought for. His son was alive and adorable and funny. “How’s, er, kindergarten?”</p><p>Freddie’s eyes lit up. “Oh my gosh, Dad! It’s crazy!”</p><p>“Crazy? How crazy?”</p><p>“Sophia and Stephen make me play tag all the time, but sometimes I just want to play house with Jason, but Jason gets mad and doesn’t let me play when I do better on the alphabet song than him.”</p><p>Louis’ eyebrows shot to his forehead. Who knew a little five-year-old could have such a wild life? “No way! Can I hear the alphabet song?”</p><p>He sat there, singing a song with surprisingly good pitch for no training and his young age, and shaking his head to the beat until the doctor walked in on letter Q. “Hello! Want to hear me sing the alphabet?”</p><p>The doctor chuckled kindly. “I would, but I need to check out your dad’s cut. Can I do that?”</p><p>“You’re hurt?” Freddie gasped, jumping to his feet to look Louis over completely. “Where? I don’t see any blood.”</p><p>Louis grinned. His son may have been raised by someone he strongly disliked, but he was absolutely hilarious. And cute. His button-like nose and tiny lips made every expression he had more eccentric.</p><p>“There was blood, but not anymore. I’m going to unwrap your wound now, Mr. Tomlinson,” she explained. Freddie sat at his feet, twiddling with his leg hair and pulling one every now and then.</p><p>“What, uh, exactly happened?” Louis asked. “How long have I been out?”</p><p>“A week,” the doctor said, to which Louis groaned. “You were shot in the right side of your chest. The bullet nagged your heart, but we managed to stop the bleeding and repair it. You did, however, lose a lot of blood. Your heart underwent stress during surgery, so it was understandable that you were unconscious for so long.” After finishing the examination, she sighed grimly. “I think we’ll keep you for observation for one more night. Then, you can go back and take it easy for two weeks before trying to do any serious activity. You’ll follow up with your doctors there.”</p><p>“He can’t stay any longer?” His mum asked, to which the doctor glanced at Freddie once before coldly shaking her head and leaving. “Bitch.”</p><p>“Mum,” Louis laughed, which kind of hurt.</p><p>“Grandma said a bad word,” Freddie grinned. “Do you say bad words?”</p><p>“Never,” Louis lied, to which his mum smacked him upside the head. “Okay, maybe sometimes. Don’t do it. It’s bad.”</p><p>Freddie grinned. “Dad! Yesterday, Lottie put sparkles on my eyes! It was so cool.”</p><p>“I bet it looked great! What color?”</p><p>For the next fifteen minutes, Freddie cuddled up to his side and talked endlessly. He was definitely a lot like himself. There was always a story to be told, and he told them well. He was talking about the stars when Liam knocked on the door.</p><p>“Hey guys, I hate to do this, but I already pulled strings to get you close to normal visiting hours with family,” Liam sighed. Instantly, Louis’ heart clenched.</p><p>“You say it was good therapy for me or summat?” Louis attempted at a joke, but his heart wasn’t in it.</p><p>“Quite. Truth be told, I was recording the interaction. Purely for psychological assessment.” Liam shrugged. “I thought it was time.”</p><p>“Thank you, Liam. Really,” Louis said, turning so he could press his lips to Freddie’s forehead. “I love you, Freddie. Always.”</p><p>“I love you, too, Dad,” Freddie giggled, giving Louis a wet kiss to his cheek proudly. “When I move to England do you think I can talk like you?”</p><p>All three adults in the room burst into laughter. “Something like mine, sure, love,” Louis snickered, heart clenching at the realization that he wouldn’t have the ‘signature Tommo accent.’ However, with the foul looks the accent constantly got, Louis was okay with that.</p><p>He spared a glance with Liam, and then with his mum, and then he relented. “Hey, tell your mum to bring you by my time out place sometime, okay? Soon?”</p><p>“Is it here? This place smells clean!”</p><p>Louis faltered. It definitely wasn’t here. It wasn’t close to it. It was the opposite of these clean walls and nice people. It was horrible compared to this.</p><p>“It’s somewhere else, love. We can go together. It will be fun,” his mum stepped in and saved the day, as usual. Louis pursed his lips.</p><p>“Okay. Bye Dad!” Freddie hopped off the bed and went by the door, giving a little solute to Liam for no apparent reason.</p><p>“I love you, Mum. Sorry for – for being a prideful arse for a while,” Louis kissed her cheek as she leaned down to give him a hug.</p><p>“It’s okay, Louis. I’ll always love you. Stay safe in there from now on, okay? And I expect to hear all about this Harry gentlemen Liam says you stood up for.”</p><p>Louis looked skeptically at Liam. “Yeah…come visit me, okay?” She smiled like he’d just bought her the world, and then she was out the door. “Liam Payne, you cocky bastard. I get shot and you take my personal life into your own hands.”</p><p>Liam blushed in embarrassment. “Not very ethical, but it wasn’t all my doing. Niall was the one who requested I make it happen.”</p><p>“Niall?” Louis asked. “Not Harry?”</p><p>Liam’s jaw clenched. “Harry isn’t doing well at the moment.”</p><p>Like a switch, he was brought back into his world. “How bad is he?”</p><p>Liam shrugged. “I can’t go into detail, but there’s not much to hide. He won’t talk to me.”</p><p>“Oh god,” Louis groaned, thrashing against the handcuffs. “Fuck. Fuck that fucking prick. I hope he burns in hell! He was already fucked up from – from willingly doing shit for people, but that wasn’t willing. That was…”</p><p>“I know,” Liam ran a hand through his hair. “I know. We fired and arrested him and he’s facing charges.”</p><p>“Good,” Louis said. It wasn’t enough though.</p><p>“Once he wakes up, of course.”</p><p>“Not going to lie, Liam. If I killed him, I won’t feel bad.”</p><p>“You didn’t. He just underwent facial reconstructive surgery yesterday. They had to let the swelling go down first. He was a sight to-,”</p><p>“I don’t fucking care, Liam! I need to get back there to see Harry. You’re the psychologist – how am I supposed to help him?”</p><p>Liam grimaced. “There’s not much to do other than just be there for him. Respect his wishes about personal space. Don’t force anything out of him. He’ll come around eventually.”</p><p>Louis knew all of that. He just wished there was a more definite way to help him.</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p>“I’m proud of you, Louis. You handled me springing that on you well.”</p><p>Louis shrugged. “Like you said…it was time.” Knowing Niall was the one to request it weighed his heart down. Clearly, the request was to ease Lottie’s pain at seeing a tear in the family. He cared about his sister far more than Louis first expected. “Get me out of here, Liam. I have some apologizing to do.”</p><p>. . .</p><p>At first, Louis tried to search out Harry subtly.</p><p>The only issue was that he was on ‘minimal activity.’ He was transferred onto library cleanup, which wasn’t the worst thing in the world because he was probably one of the few to actually know where the library was. Unfortunately, that meant he got to see a total of two people. He’d asked Liam to swing by the kitchen and find Harry, but Liam had other inmates with sessions to pay attention to.</p><p>Louis had read through the first act of Macbeth by the time lunch rolled around. He was practically bouncing on his feet as he was led to the cafeteria. Harry had lunch time off. He could finally get a chance to talk to him. Of course, he had missed Niall and James, as well, but seeing Harry was all he could think about.</p><p>He was worried about him. Liam’s words didn’t give him much to go by. Louis had so many questions, but the one bouncing in his head the most was, “How do I help him?” Unfortunately, Harry probably didn’t even have that answer.</p><p>“Louis! You’re alive!” Niall exclaimed, flagging him down and waving energetically. Louis was appeased to see their table was still the same and their muscle men were as emotionless and loyal as ever. However, the table was missing two key people.</p><p>“Where are James and Harry?” Louis scowled, standing at the end and peering down the table. Niall’s smile fell off his face completely.</p><p>“James got released while you were gone,” Niall mumbled making a pit in Louis’ stomach dropped. He hadn’t even gotten to say goodbye to the older lad that nobody could actually hate. In all actuality, he really glued them together. Louis would miss him, but his mind wouldn’t stop buzzing for information on Harry. “I’m not sure where Harry is, come to think of it.”</p><p>Louis crossed his arms indignantly. “You should know this shite, Niall. You are my second in command.”</p><p>Niall’s eyes went wide. “What? No! That’s Harry.”</p><p>Louis sighed dejectedly. “No, unfortunately, Harry wouldn’t hurt a fly.”</p><p>“Neither would I,” Niall huffed mutely, staring at his food with a pout. “Not on purpose. Only defending someone.”</p><p>“Right,” Louis sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he finally took his seat across from the blonde bloke. “Listen, Niall, I wanted to talk to ya about that.”</p><p>Niall’s body tensed, but after a few seconds, he relaxed and looked up, expression stormy, which was a rare sighting for him. “Yeah?”</p><p>Louis picked at his fingers for a bit before finally spitting out the words. He wasn’t happy about it, but he knew now it was time to stop putting his anger and embarrassment onto others. Niall was a good man. “I’m sorry, I guess. For judging you and telling everyone.” Niall’s eyes softened, but he still looked apprehensive. “And about my sister. You’re a good lad.”</p><p>Niall released a breath of air, and it seemed like Louis had just solved all his issues, which clearly wasn’t the case considering where they were right now. “Thank you, Tommo. You have no idea how good it is to hear that. Say, can I call you by your actual name if I marry your sister?”</p><p>“Marry?” Louis snorted. He wasn’t as concerned about this statement as he would be if Niall were out of prison or looking to get out in the relative future, but he wasn’t. “You’re in here for life practically. There is no getting out for you.”</p><p>Niall sighed, like he chose to forget that detail daily. His quieted tone and downcast gaze made Louis feel bad for saying that, even if it was the truth. Honestly, between Harry and Niall, Louis wasn’t sure if half these inmates should have been in here. It hurt his heart seeing Niall nearly in shameful tears over his sentence.</p><p>“He could get out with a review of his trial.”</p><p>Like in a gust of wind, Louis’ breath was stolen from him. He knew that voice. It was the voice he’d been craving to hear so badly for so long it was killing him. He quickly spun around and was met by a tall, lean yet muscular, gorgeous man. His curls were bushier than normal, like they got when he didn’t bother to use any product in it. His eyes were bloodshot, and there were dark bags underneath them.</p><p>Instantly, Louis was transported back to the first time they met and how sickly looking he appeared. Harry wasn’t as bad as then, but it was far too close for comfort.</p><p>“Harry,” Louis breathed, instantly moving to tackle him in a hug, but then he remembered Liam’s advice. Instead, he just stared at him, and Harry stared back. His eyes were calculative and precise – a sharp contrast to the Harry he’d left here. However, there was curiosity hiding behind the lack of expression, alongside fondness.</p><p>“You’re drooling.” Niall horribly faked a cough into his arm.</p><p>“Oops,” Louis blushed.</p><p>“Hi.” Harry chuckled slightly, cheeks pinking up and lips lifting. It wasn’t close to a full smile, but it was enough to show Louis he was there. Then, he looked at Niall. “You could win your case with proper lawyers, you know. There was a video recording of the bar, but the defense smothered it before your lawyers could find it.”</p><p>Niall’s jaw dropped. “Wh-what? Is that allowed?”</p><p>“No.” Harry shook his head. “When I was in the infirmary, my sister visited me. She works higher than I did for the country, so I asked her to review everyone’s cases.” He took a seat beside Louis and looked at him with the same distance he had before they ever kissed. It was alarming, but Louis tried not to let it show on his face. “If you hadn’t been famous, you wouldn’t have gotten so much time. During your last trial, I mean. The judge was overheard before trial talking about bringing celebrities back down to Earth, but that was all hearsay. Nothing to do about it.”</p><p>Louis blinked, not sure what to do with this information. He also wasn’t sure he’d heard Harry speak so clinically and swiftly. “That’s bullshit on both parts,” Louis muttered. “Did she get anything on yours?”</p><p>Harry nodded. “A video off my computer, but she can’t access it. They smothered it, but I’m decently sure what’s on it. It probably could have changed my entire case. I always wondered why my lawyer never brought it up even when I asked.”</p><p>“Wow,” Louis breathed deeply, looking at him with a hint of shock. “You’re full of information.”</p><p>Harry picked at his food and shrugged. “Wish I could dig it up myself. It’s nice to think about.”</p><p>“I understand,” Louis nodded because he didn’t know what else to say. This was a serious conversation, similar to those they had before shaking someone into line here. The only difference was Harry never was one to be part of those conversations.</p><p>Louis watched Harry begin to eat before giving up the hope that he could touch him. He had to be patient, so he turned to his food, but it just made his stomach churn. He sat there staring at his food for a solid minute before Niall released a long groan.</p><p>Louis and Harry instantly looked up.</p><p>“This is painful to watch. Please give him a hug, Harry. He’s whizzing out!” Niall exclaimed tiredly.</p><p>“Oh,” Louis frowned, turning to Harry. “If you’re not okay with -,”</p><p>Before he could finish speaking, he was crushed against Harry’s warm, solid chest. He smelled like home to Louis, which was both relieving and alarming. “Please don’t treat me like I’m fragile, Lou. I can’t take it – not from you,” Harry whispered into his ear so it was kept between them. Distantly, Louis nodded. He didn’t know what to treat him as, but Harry was right. He clearly wasn’t fragile and timid. He was stronger than Louis felt he would have been had the situation been reversed.</p><p>“Liam getting at ya?” Louis tried for a joke. It wasn’t terribly funny, but it made Harry’s lips lift in amusement. “What a stuck-up bloke, right?” With his words, Louis scooted closer to Harry on the bench, head leaning against his shoulder. He felt warm, and it was nice. “You want to know what that fucker and this fucker,” Louis glared at Niall, who offered a sheepish grin, “did to me? They sicked me family on me while I was injured at the fucking hospital.”</p><p>Finally, Harry’s face broke out with expression. A concerned frown appeared, directed at Louis. “Your family like your mum?”</p><p>“And son,” Niall peeped up, but Harry and Louis both turned to glare at him, so he abruptly stood up. “I’m just gonna go. See you two at practice tomorrow.”</p><p>They both waited until he fucked off to elsewhere, and by then, lunch was nearly over. “I’m working in the library now,” Louis offered. “Fancy a walk there before your lunch shift?”</p><p>Harry’s shoulders relaxed at the idea of leaving the cafeteria, even for only a moment. Soon, he’d taken his and Louis’ trays in his hands and returned them to the wash up crew. They didn’t hold hands, but they walked so close their arms brushed constantly. It was comforting, feeling him solidly by his side.</p><p>“How was seeing them?” Harry asked after a while of walking in silence. Louis breathed out slowly, watching where they walked.</p><p>“It was really good.”</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>“Made me feel like a right idiot for not inviting them here,” Louis sighed. “I just wanted better than this for them. I don’t like them relating this crocky place with me.”</p><p>“Yeah, but it’s not you,” Harry said. “And even so, you’ve done a lot of good here that you can’t see just by looking at the walls.”</p><p>“You think so?” Louis stopped walking, peering up skeptically at Harry because he wasn’t sure he believed him much. “Doesn’t feel like it.”</p><p>Harry snorted, grabbing his hand and tugging him along on their walk before the guards yelled at them. He didn’t let go of his wrist as they kept walking. It made heat flare up in Louis’ heart. “It should. These days, the only people getting beat up are on your call and deserve it. You shut down people using twinks in here. Nick hardly even shows his face anymore after Modest got fired. The guards have their way with him as they see fit now. And you shank any shifty guards that join. It’s much safer for everyone here, you know.” Harry paused, giving his wrist a squeeze. “And look what you’ve done for me. I’d be living in a shell still if it weren’t for you. I don’t even want to imagine life here without you anymore.”</p><p>“Haz,” Louis whispered, emotion clogging his voice. When he looked up, he could see the sincerity and fear in his glossy green eyes. Louis swiped at a tear that slid down his cheek. “I never thought about it like that. I didn’t think that was something to be proud of because, you know, this place is for bad people.”</p><p>“But bad people can grow,” Harry insisted.</p><p>“Yeah, you’re right,” Louis said, and he finally, finally believed the words that came out of his mouth. Not wanting to dwell on that deeper subject for any longer, he softly elbowed Harry and began to tease him, but the moment he bumped into him, Harry tensed and inhaled sharply. Louis stopped walking, grabbing Harry’s hand as it fell away from his wrist. “Shit. Sorry, Harry. I’m – so sorry.”</p><p>Harry shook his head, eyes downcast. “No. It’s fine.”</p><p>“It’s really not,” Louis whispered, wishing his voice wouldn’t wobble like it did. He wanted to see those green eyes, see the pain that was going through them to get a better understanding of where Harry was. “None of that was fine.”</p><p>Harry nodded meekly. “I know. I know.” They were silent for a while, but they still hadn’t moved. “Doesn’t always happen. Sometimes it just takes me by surprise, you know? And then it’s like I shut down.”</p><p>Louis bit his lip. His heart squeezed painfully at the mere idea of that happening to him. He stepped closer cautiously and slowly, relieved to see Harry didn’t move away or flinch this time. Gently, he took his other hand and squeezed. “That’s okay. You’re okay.”</p><p>Harry toed at the ground, still not looking at him. He wasn’t convinced.</p><p>“Harry,” Louis closed his eyes, trying to keep himself from falling against his chest like they used to.</p><p>“And what if I’m not completely okay?” Harry whispered, head falling against the wall and eyes closing in agony, like it was a painful thought to have.</p><p>“Then you’re not okay,” Louis said, squeezing his hands again, hoping that would get his point across. “Then you’ll see Liam, and talk to me if you want, and you’ll become okay again, even if it’s a new kind of okay. And I’ll be here for it all, in whatever way you need, no matter what.”</p><p>“Yeah?” Harry breathed, finally looking at him. Hesitance crossed his expression, so Louis squeezed his hands again.</p><p>“Promise.”</p><p>“O-okay,” Harry blushed. “I’m not fragile, you know. Still the same with Niall and all that, and he’s the touchiest person alive. But, um, I just don’t know if like…us and when we -,”</p><p>Louis cut him off, not wanting him to work himself up over this minor of a detail. “We’ll take things slow and see, okay? If it takes you a year to want your tongue in any parts of me again, that’s not a problem. I’ll wait for you. It’d be no fun if you weren’t one hundred percent into it, yeah?”</p><p>It seemed like the weight of the world lifted from Harry’s shoulders. “God, I love you, Lou,” Harry groaned, pushing off the wall to wrap his arms around Louis’ waist. This hug was different. It was deeper, and longer, and he swore their souls touched while they clung to each other for dear life. It may have been the first time Harry ever said those words to him, and he didn’t want to question if he meant it as ‘in love’ with him because thinking that he did made everything else in his life possible right now.</p><p>“I – I love you, too, Haz,” Louis sighed, relieved to finally get the chance to say those words to him. They should have been said a long time ago. Louis was just an idiot.</p><p>“I-,” Harry began, eyes searching Louis for sincerity. Shock and disbelief held his tongue.</p><p>“No touching. Get to your work stations now!” Yelled a guard at the end of the hall, storming over to them with a pissed expression, so the two instantly jumped away.</p><p>“See you later,” Harry moped as the guard shoved him away from the direction of the library, and Louis could only nod, wishing he didn’t have to separate so soon. It’d be a long work shift.</p><p>. . .</p><p>‘Working’ at the library was nothing compared to his old assignment. It was much easier, but it was much more boring, as well. Louis had read over half a Stephen King’s novel by the time he was dismissed, and his eyes were swimming. The most work he had to do was find books and put them back after they were done. It happened five times total that day.</p><p>Louis had to get checked out at the infirmary after his shift. He’d expected it to go quickly because he felt fine, but then he saw Liam.</p><p>“Hey, Tommo,” Liam pushed himself off the desk and followed him and the doctor to a bed. “I won’t be here tomorrow for your session, so I just wanted to check in on how you’re doing.”</p><p>Louis offered him a lazy smile as he pulled off the orange jumper. “You just want me to tell you shit about Harry.”</p><p>Liam frowned. “Of course not. How was your first day back?”</p><p>Louis shrugged, which made him tense because his wound didn’t like that too much. “Fine. Boring job replacement, but it’s nice getting time to read again.”</p><p>“And your family?”</p><p>Louis rolled his eyes. “You’re pushing it, Payno.”</p><p>Liam held his hands up in surrender. “Just give me a sign I didn’t push you into a mental breakdown.”</p><p>“You didn’t. Promise. Where are you going in case I do have one, though?”</p><p>The doctor’s cold hands undid his bandage and gave him a quick glance over to confirm it was fine. When he didn’t say anything, Louis assumed it was okay.</p><p>“I can’t say,” Liam said. “HIPPA rules.”</p><p>“You’re seeing Zayn,” Louis grinned mischievously. “Tell him I said hi.”</p><p>“I’m not,” Liam huffed, cheeks growing red and flustered. It gave him away immediately. The doctor seemed to be looking between them with irritation, and it felt like she wrapped his chest up tighter than necessary.</p><p>“Very convincing.”</p><p>“Dr. Payne, if he’s no longer your patient and you’re seeing him as a visitor, you’re allowed to tell him,” he sighed tiredly. “Even though I couldn’t imagine why you’d appease the mind of the likes of him.”</p><p>Liam, seeming quite miffed at the doctor’s less than enthusiastic tone, said, “Right. Well, then, yes. I’m seeing Zayn. He had a trial, finally, you know. I haven’t been able to see him since then, but it went well.”</p><p>This was the first truly good news Louis had heard in a while. His heart jumped and he asked, “Really? What’s his verdict? I had no idea he was even given a new trial!”</p><p>Liam grinned, like he was proud of Zayn. He probably was. “He’s been showing a lot of promise in the hospital – or that’s what his doctor said during the trial. It will be a while, with a minimum of a year of vigorous treatment, but if they believe he’ll stay on his medication and continuously see a psychologist, he could be released.”</p><p>“Wow,” Louis breathed, blinking and trying to imagine the hope Zayn felt. He’d been put away for a minimum of fifteen years when he refused to go to the original mental facility he’d hated. Zayn never had hope of getting set free any sooner than the minimum sentence. “That’s amazing. Let him know how we’re all doing for me, yeah?”</p><p>“Absolutely. I-,”</p><p>The doctor cleared his throat, glaring at Liam. “He’s finished. He needs to be taken to his cell now.”</p><p>Liam sighed wearily. “Don’t look so happy about it, Frank.”</p><p>“It’s doctor Helm!”</p><p>“Whatever,” Liam rolled his eyes, tugging Louis to a standing position and escorting him back down the hall. Louis only held in his laughter until they got a few steps away from the infirmary doors. “Shh!”</p><p>“Sorry. Sorry. I just love seeing someone other than me dish out the sass!” Louis chortled, making himself stumble over his prosthetic leg. Liam caught him and pulled him along, trying his best to hide his grin, as well.</p><p>“You’re awful,” Liam sighed, rounding the corner to the showers. Luckily, there was enough time for him to shower before roll call. “Okay, I’ll ask you again, but this time as a confidential friend – not Harry’s psychiatrist. How are things?”</p><p>Louis let out a big breath of air. “Good, good, yeah,” he shrugged. “We only got to talk for a bit, you know? But I think we’re going to be okay.”</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>Louis nodded, running his good foot along the ground and hoping his words would end this conversation soon because it was making things a little hard to breathe thinking about them not ending up okay. “Yeah, like, with time like you said.”</p><p>“And physically?”</p><p>“God, Liam,” Louis wanted to shove at his shoulder, but if another guard saw that, even in a playful way, he’d get sent away, and that was the last thing he wanted. “I don’t know, obviously, but it doesn’t matter. I don’t care about that – it's not my priority right now, I mean.”</p><p>“So you’re saying you care about him seriously. Like you possibly…?” Liam asked, eyes bright with hope in a way his psychiatrist shouldn’t have been.</p><p>“Yes, Liam, I love him. Shall I shout it to the showers then?” Louis crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.</p><p>“What? No-,”</p><p>Feeling quite smug and a tad dramatic, Louis briskly walked to the showers and yelled, “I am in love with Harry Styles! And everyone should know it!”</p><p>He turned back around smugly, enjoying the sounds of laughter, but he hadn’t expected the sing song call back of “Love you, too, Lou!”</p><p>Blush spread along his cheeks. He’d been gone so long he honestly forgot Harry took the late shower shifts, too.</p><p>“We knew that already. Shut up and let us shower in peace, ya fags! Nobody wants to witness that shite!” Somebody shouted, making Louis scowl. He knew that voice. It sounded like one of the white trash idiots from cell block C. He’d remember that.</p><p>“Please try to refrain from stabbing that guy, alright?” Liam sighed. “I’m sure Harry would appreciate somebody to sleep beside at night again. I’m happy for you, Tommo. You’ve made some real-,”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, shut it. You promised no psychiatry bullshit.” Louis groaned, walking towards the showers so he wouldn’t have to show Liam his giant grin. Louis had to wait in line for a shower, which was particularly not fun. While waiting, the guy who’d shouted at them, Robbie, exited his shower and began to pass by. Louis stepped in his way. “Ah, Robert, nice to see you, mate.”</p><p>“Get off me,” Robbie grunted, belly shoving against Louis for effect. Louis didn’t budge.</p><p>“Really loved what you had to say earlier. What was that you called us?” Louis asked, tilting his head and petting his chin in thought. Robbie just stared at him with the expression often seen on a depressed dog. “Fags? Really original there, mate. So original I think-,”</p><p>“Hey, Lou.” Harry startled Louis, coming up beside him and wrapping a hand around his waist. He had the biggest grin on his face, and it was directed at Robbie, which Louis found partially insulting. He definitely didn’t deserve that. “Were we disturbing you earlier, Robbie?”</p><p>Robbie scowled, chewing on his own spit as he eyed the two of them. Just out of spite, Louis leaned more into Harry. “Yeah.”</p><p>“Understandable,” Harry nodded. Louis honestly hated how nice he was being to this jerk. “What I don’t quite understand,” he continued, voice growing so loud it was almost a shout, and by then everyone’s attention had turned to them, “is that you called us fags, as if you didn’t spend three months giving favors to Nick just so you could fuck me every week. Wouldn’t that by anyone’s standards make you one yourself? Odd to call yourself such a slur, hmm?”</p><p>The entire shower erupted in heckles and calls, and Louis would have to give it to Harry later. By the way Robbie’s entire body tensed momentarily before he stormed out of there like he was on fire, it was far more satisfying than roughing him up a bit.</p><p>“God, I love it when you’re bad for me, Styles,” Louis grinned, squeezing his arm shortly as he beamed up at Harry, who was laughing along with half the showers.</p><p>“Anything for you, babe,” Harry laughed, eyes alight in ways Louis seriously worried they couldn’t be again. “See you soon.”</p><p>Louis made that soon happen as fast as possible. He washed up quickly and didn’t bother sticking his prosthetic leg on before hobbling back to his cell.</p><p>Harry was on Louis’ bed when he finally got back. He was idly flipping through new pictures that must not have been on his wall because those were all up. There wasn’t a smile on his lips, but he seemed very interested.</p><p>“Stop staring and get in,” Harry said without looking away.</p><p>“I didn’t know if you’d be – never mind. You asked me to, so I’ll just – yeah,” Louis mumbled, shucking off his clothes and sitting with his legs crossed beside Harry.</p><p>“This is my sister, Gemma, and my mum,” Harry said. “They visited me the other day after the, uh, Modest thing. They can’t make it up here often, you know. Long drive and all.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Louis hummed, scooting closer to Harry and savoring his warmth. “Good visit?”</p><p>Harry shrugged. “Kept bugging me to talk about it. So does Liam. Even Niall asked.” He grabbed another picture of him and his sister when they were in high school. They were dressed up for a dance, and Harry’s frog face still looked absolutely adorable. “Please don’t also ask me about it.”</p><p>Louis took note of that. “Okay. Just as long as you know you can tell me anything. Weird, uncomfortable, upsetting…I’m here if you need me.” Harry nodded, eyes still hidden behind his hair. “Show me another one of your sister. She’s hot.”</p><p>Harry looked at him with a gaping mouth, and then they both burst into giggles. “Excuse you. My sister is beautiful, and anything past that is information we both don’t need to know.”</p><p>“Just teasing.” Louis grinned, head resting on his shoulder. “They’re both beautiful. You look like your mum. Same eyes.”</p><p>“Thanks,” Harry mumbled, averting his eyes like he always did when Louis genuinely complimented him. “I miss them a lot. It must be so much worse for you with a son out there.”</p><p>Louis closed his eyes momentarily. His mind raced back to seeing his son only so many hours ago. It was like it just restarted this need to see him and hold him again. “He’s so big.”</p><p>“Really? Even with your genes?”</p><p>Louis gritted his teeth and threw himself into Harry, who laughed angelically and pulled him into his side. “Watch yourself, Styles. Yes, he was still small, but he’s grown, alright? And he’s got the biggest, bluest eyes.”</p><p>“Like yours.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Louis grinned with pride. He supposed they were just like his. “Oh, god, Harry, and his American accent? Only he could make it so fucking cute. And he’s beach bloody blonde, which is so adorable, and…”</p><p>Louis continued talking, and Harry added commentary and asked questions for so long three different inmates shouted at them for talking so much. Eventually when a guard came by and banged on their cell, they decided it was time to turn in.</p><p>“I’ve missed your cuddles,” Harry sighed, turning on his side and pulling Louis back into him. Louis felt like he was finally able to take a deep breath and taste the air again.</p><p>“I might wake up with a boner,” Louis blurted because he’d already been spread thin on his emotions today. Harry’s soft lips pressed against his neck, sending heat throughout his entire body. “Okay. I’m definitely waking up with a boner.”</p><p>Harry chuckled. “I appreciate the warning,” he hummed. “I am glad I tend to be the dominant one during sex. I have a feeling you wouldn’t touch me unless I begged you if it were the other way around, and not in the good way.”</p><p>“Harrrrry,” Louis groaned, closing his eyes and trying to will away the thought of being overbearing. He was worried was the only issue.</p><p>“I almost lost you, Lou. I almost watched you die,” Harry said, voice rumbling into his ear. It sent a shiver down his spine. “It was terrifying, Louis. I have bad memories about him, but most of the nightmares include losing you and not being able to do a fucking thing about it.”</p><p>Louis was quiet for a while, trying to pull his thoughts together. “In all this time worrying about you, I didn’t think about it like that, like I’d be your concern.”</p><p>Harry nuzzled deeper against his neck, curls almost tickling his skin. “I was yours, wasn’t I?”</p><p>“Obviously. But-,”</p><p>“But I’ve felt that before. I knew that feeling. With Nick’s guys, half the time I’d ask them to stop and they wouldn’t. This time was, er, more violent, and that’s – I don’t know, but I can handle that with time. I can’t handle losing you. I’ll deal with the flashback shite with Liam. That’s not the issue. It’s – you’re the reason I’ve been losing sleep. I can’t lose you.”</p><p>Louis shuffled around so they were facing each other, legs slotting together. “You’re not going to lose me, Haz. I swear.”</p><p>Harry snorted, pressing their foreheads together and sighing. “Eventually, I will. You’ll get out, and I’ll be in here for ten more years, and -,”</p><p>“And I’ll come visit every day,” Louis said, but even to him, it sounded small and weak and fragile, like anything could make that promise crumble.</p><p>“Be realistic, Lou,” Harry snapped suddenly, eyes full of anger. Louis jerked back, and instantly Harry pulled Louis in closer. “Sorry. That’s a long way away. I’m just glad you’re alive. Don’t scare me like that again, alright?”</p><p>Louis scoffed. “If somebody touches you like that again, they’ll get that times ten. So I can’t promise you anything.”</p><p>Harry smiled softly, tiredly. “Alright, Louis. I can live with that.”</p><p>Harry turned onto his back, so Louis slipped halfway on top of him, a position he quite loved. As usual, Harry smelled clean and crisp and just like home. It made breathing feel like flying. He stroked up and down Harry’s chest, reveling in the hard panes of muscle and the hot touch of skin. “I couldn’t live without you either, Harry.”</p><p>Then they drifted off to sleep.</p><p>. . .</p><p>Liam was late to their practice. Once Louis took a seat beside Harry on the couch, Niall looked at them skeptically. “Should I leave? Give you two some privacy?”</p><p>“Very funny, <em>Niel</em>.” Louis rolled his eyes, but he did scoot a little closer to Harry. To his relief, Harry shifted and tossed his legs over Louis’ thighs, back pressing against the armrest. His nerves had him buzzing on end just thinking about Harry and how he was doing, but being able to feel Harry draping himself over him, even if it was minimal contact, was relieving.</p><p>“You look tired,” Louis said, petting a curl of hair behind Harry’s ear. “Long day?”</p><p>Harry nodded. “We got another shipment in of your stuff in.”</p><p>“The lube? Yeah, thanks for that, as always.”</p><p>Harry’s mouth dropped, and then his eyes got wide. “Oh, I forgot to tell you,” he ran a hand through his hair as he rested his head against the couch. “One of the guards got found out for sneaking the drugs in while you were out. So, uh, Preston came to me with an idea – I don’t know why me -,”</p><p>Louis snorted, sparing Niall a glance. He supposed he’d never considered truly Niall his number two, and Zayn had proved he wasn’t fit for command, but Harry? He loved him and trusted him with his life, but he wasn’t sure if he trusted him to smuggle contraband of any kind past the law. It was literally against his nature.</p><p>“It made sense to me,” Harry continued as he looked worriedly at Louis. “Jimmy and Joe are doing kitchen duties now. I’m driving the truck. I do have the cleanest record, and this way I’ll be able to get the right guards to check the crates with all the stuff in them. It’s more physical labor, but I don’t-,”</p><p>“What the fuck?” Louis exclaimed, looking angrily between Harry and Niall. “No way. That is way too high risk, especially with all the added shite we're taking in. You are not keeping that position, not over my-”</p><p>“Louis,” Harry said sternly, hand grasping his. “Would you ever trust Jimmy with remembering all the crates to smuggle? Or even Preston?”</p><p>Louis scowled. “No, but I still don’t want you sticking your neck out there like that.”</p><p>“It’s not that bad. I can play dumb and act like I missed something,” Harry batted his eyes, but it only made Louis’ blood boil further. He never loved the fact that he was the person to turn Harry bad, even if it was minor smuggling that would probably happen regardless. Now this was even further.</p><p>“Like they’d believe that coming from your background,” Louis scoffed, falling forward and groaning against his shins. They were rather bony, which was sort of helpful in this situation. “Wait. You said Preston thought of this?”</p><p>Harry’s hands combed through his hair slowly, nails trailing against his scalp in a way that made Louis want to sleep. It was a welcome distraction.</p><p>“I don’t think so. He suggested the idea, but he didn’t even know the details about how we get food in here,” Harry mumbled. “I asked, but he just stared at me until I walked away.”</p><p>“You didn’t learn skills of persuasion in training?” Niall chortled as he strummed idly on the guitar. “Weak.”</p><p>“For the hundredth time, I was never put in the field. I learned the basics on the physical side,” Harry reached down in the couch and threw a lone packet of unopened lube at Niall, making him squeal. Louis smiled distantly, mind still worrying over Harry putting himself at risk. “Besides, I knew Louis was coming back. That’s his business.”</p><p>Louis sighed heavily once more before pushing himself off. “I don’t like not knowing who suggested that. Could be Grimshaw setting you up to get busted. Fuck.”</p><p>“I doubt he’d-,”</p><p>“It’s not Grimshaw,” came from the doorway, enticing them all to turn abruptly to see Liam standing there, replacing one of the older guards who had been assigned to watch them. He was a good friend of Liam’s.</p><p>“Liam,” Louis looked up skeptically. “How would you know that?”</p><p>Still leaning against the door frame, Liam grimaced. “Boys, I’d like you all to meet the newest member of your group. Jeffery Azoff.”</p><p>His tone was serious and grim, almost like they should know who Jeffery Azoff was, but Louis didn’t. Even when he walked through the door with a smirk fit for a king, Louis doubted he’d been in here longer than a week. He swore he’d never seen him before.</p><p>“Gentlemen,” Jeffery nodded toward them as he made his way into the room, settling himself directly in front of them. “As you suspected, Louis, Preston did not come up with that idea. As simple as it was, it was too complex for him. He’s more bronze than brains, wouldn’t you agree?”</p><p>“Louis?” Niall snorted, making his way to his feet. “Listen, bub, you must be new around here, because you’re the last person-,”</p><p>“Please shut up,” Jeffery coldly walked past Niall and sat on the coffee table before the couch, ignoring the Irishman completely. Louis snorted. He wasn’t getting himself off to a good start. “I’ve been here for the last four years, Niall. Longer than any of you. I’ll call you all whatever I want. Can we get back to what I came here for?”</p><p>Louis grunted, splaying his hand on Harry’s lower thighs and moving it up and down while he made no motion to give more interest to Jeffery. He continued to sit back and decide on his next words, unsure what to make of him. Normally, he’d knock the first person out to call him by his first name aside from Harry, but there was this aura around Jeffery that made Louis think differently.</p><p>Finally, he shrugged. “Sure. What did you come here for? Other than to piss me off.”</p><p>Liam grunted as he walked toward the boys, settling on the other end of the couch with a frown. “Tommo,” he warned, but Louis didn’t spare him a glance.</p><p>Jeffery waved Liam off and crossed his legs, like he was in control of this meeting. Louis’ hand clenched around Harry’s thigh, making him whine and move forward, head nudging Louis’ neck. He released his grip regretfully and moved his hand into his curls.</p><p>“You should be grateful for that suggestion, Tommo,” Jeffery laughed at the name. “You wouldn’t want your inmates losing loyalty.”</p><p>Louis shrugged. He had a point. More importantly, this incident just reminded Louis he really needed to find a second in command to take over once he got released. As much as this place was his bitch, he wasn’t planning on coming back here anytime soon.</p><p>“What do you want?” Louis laughed. “Thank you? Anything else?”</p><p>Jeffery’s eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward. “I have information that will help you greatly.”</p><p>Louis snorted sardonically, pulling Harry tighter into his side. His warmth gave him the reminder of what he had to lose here. “I get to read all day and barely lift a finger. I share a cell with my boyfriend. The guards are at my will. Nick cowers away at the sight of me. And I’m happier in here than I’ve ever been. What more can be improved?”</p><p>“I can get your boyfriend here out of jail with you,” Jeffery raised his eyebrows. “And Niall here.”</p><p>Louis stopped everything. He stopped moving and he stopped petting Harry’s head. He stopped breathing. The world shifting into an entirely different one. They’d been coasting by, trying to take in all they could while they could. This world had hope, something they’d been severely lacking before, and if Louis was more desperate to get it than he was to get his leg back, he couldn’t even find it in himself to care.</p><p>“Talk, Azoff,” Louis growled, moving forward and digging his elbows into his knees. At this point, even Harry and Niall were rendered speechless. “Now.”</p><p>Jeffery shrugged. “Under one condition.”</p><p>“Which is?”</p><p>“I take over.”</p><p>Louis tossed himself back on the couch with a harsh laugh, feeling Harry’s tense body beneath him. “You’re a funny one, Jeffo.”</p><p>Jeffery shrugged. “Fine. Have this last year as alpha and leave your mates in here to rot. I’m sure they’ll understand, right lads?”</p><p>Louis realized with a sinking stomach that Harry wasn’t curling around him like usual. Instead, he sat stiff-straight, eyes focused on Jeffery perilously.</p><p>“Fine,” he huffed. “I’ll hear you out.”</p><p>Jeffery smirked. “I’ll give you some leeway, Louis, because I’ve watched you. I know you’re a prideful idiot at the best of times. I’ll be your second in command around here until it’s time for me to take over. Does it sound doable? After all, your system nearly went to shit the last time you left.”</p><p>“Did it though?” Louis challenged crisply. “I was unconscious, but Preston still knew to have Jimmy and Joe beat Grimshaw and his remaining men to an inch of his life.”</p><p>“While leaving your business to wither away,” Jeffery picked at his nail coyly. “Listen, I’m on your side here. I am in this prison for life, so I’d like to see it run my way.”</p><p>“Or let the prison guards run it as it was meant to be!” Liam chirped up, and simultaneously all four other men looked at him like he had two heads. “Right. Whatever. Hurry this along and get to what relates to the music.”</p><p>“Fair enough,” Louis shrugged. “Why didn’t you before?”</p><p>Jeffery smiled. “I don’t like a fight. You’ve done the hard work, and now I’m taking my opportunity.”</p><p>“I like him,” Niall grinned. “Get to the getting me out of prison part, please!”</p><p>Jeffery nodded. “Do we have an agreement?”</p><p>Louis shrugged. “If you prove to be beneficial for us, then sure.”</p><p>A sweet, too pleased smile grew across his face, making Louis worry he just signed the certificate to his death. “Perfect,” Jeffery said. “Well, as I believe you were aware of, Harry and Niall are more or less innocent. At least to the point that locked up for more than ten years was excessive. You simply need to get the money to hire good lawyers to prove it in Niall’s case. Harry may be more complicated, but either way, you won’t stand a chance without an approval from the warden.”</p><p>Louis snorted. “That won’t happen. Simon has the most conservative, self-serving morals I’ve ever seen in anybody.”</p><p>Jeffery grinned. “Self-serving. Exactly.”</p><p>“We’re not following,” Harry pouted, hand wrapping around Louis’ wrist, so Louis intertwined their fingers and tried to relax.</p><p>“I’ve worked with Simon before. We were both in the music producing industry, though Simon is truly just in the money-making industry,” Jeffery chuckled to himself. “If we make him a deal that’s in favor of making him money, he’ll take it. And I saw the way his eyes lit up during your performance. I saw the way everyone’s eyes lit up. You four were brilliant together.”</p><p>“And?” Louis scoffed.</p><p>“And hello, I’m Jeffery Azoff, your new temporary manager,” he grinned to himself. “You, in particular, Louis will be the key aspect to this all, though.”</p><p>“How?”</p><p>“You’re quite famous,” Jeffery shrugged. “My outside sources tell me you’ve been a massive hit since you came out. People are talking about you again – not always positive, but your merchandise has seen a rise in sales. Despite what you’ve done, you’re still a public figure.”</p><p>“And you think Simon would want to manage me or something? Deal with the aftermath of me killing two people and getting most of my parental rights taken away from me?” Louis rolled his eyes. “In your dreams.”</p><p>“He’d promote you long enough to get these two out,” Jeffery shrugged. “I have an ear for it. You four were good enough to be a sensation together. It’s your ticket out of here.”</p><p>Louis mulled it over for a few minutes. “Maybe. We still have no way to get Harry out. He’s easily the strongest voice of the group.”</p><p>“That’s where your friend come in. Zayn says-,”</p><p>“Zayn?” Louis questioned, looking between Liam and Jeffery. “Since when have you talked to Zayn?”</p><p>Liam cleared his throat. “I have talked to Zayn. Today, and he’s been writing me. Zayn is the one who convinced Jeffery here to help you out in the first place. I hadn’t realized he found a way to benefit himself, as well.”</p><p>“Zayn isn’t a very convincing person unless you can see his face,” Harry pointed out.</p><p>“Hey!” Louis huffed, elbowing him.</p><p>“You know it’s not a lie!” Harry offered his hands up in surrender. Louis only rolled his eyes, so Harry nuzzled his head against his shoulder, whispering so only he could hear, “Nobody’s hotter than you, baby.”</p><p>“Yeah, I know,” Louis huffed. “Still-,”</p><p>“Oi! Love birds! Shut it! I’d like out of here sooner rather than later,” Niall huffed. “So how did Zayny get to ya?”</p><p>Jeffery’s lips pressed together tightly. “He saved my son’s life.”</p><p>Liam released a breath of air. “They were both in the hospital together. Zayn stopped him from cutting his throat with a broken piece of wood.”</p><p>“Yes,” Jeffery hissed. “Very professional of you, doctor.”</p><p>Liam sighed. “Sorry. Zayn did tell me that as a friend, though. I just – Zayn is doing good there, and the boys needed to know that.”</p><p>“Yes, well, I owe him one, so he asked me to help you all out. As much as I hate Simon, I know we can strike a deal with him. As long as you get a lawyer on the outside to not sign your life away, you all can get out of here. Additionally, you may become famous. Yay!”</p><p>“Alright, back to Hazza here,” Louis questioned. “My friend?”</p><p>“Harry’s,” Jeffery emphasized. “Zayn said you were only second best in hacking computers and shit to one of your old friends. Could you get him to help you?”</p><p>Harry frowned. “Ed? Maybe. He stopped speaking to me when I went to work for the government – not a fan of ‘big brother.’”</p><p>“Well, you’d have to go behind the government’s back to find that video and release it, right?” Louis questioned. “Maybe that’s why Gemma can’t get it. She can’t risk the surveillance.”</p><p>“Yes, probably,” Harry pursed his lips. “I mean, my sister can’t code – she was just using her high security clearance when she found the file. Ed may be able to get the file and send it out to the world. Somebody would still have to be able to code to reach out to Ed. He’s almost completely off the grid. If we’re lucky, he still uses his username in his base codes.”</p><p>It just hit him then how much of Harry’s past Louis didn’t know. He only barely kept up with what he said, and it was based on pure guessing.</p><p>Jeffery scowled. “We need that. Even Simon can’t get the government off your back just by an appeal and good graces.”</p><p>“What about Louis?” Niall suggested, making everyone turn to him in question. “We all know Liam isn’t going to break the law enough to find Ed, and even if he did, who would teach Liam how to code? The only place with computers in here is the library, which is where Louis works now.”</p><p>“Wow, Nialler, that may be your best plan you’ve ever suggested.” Louis grinned dubiously, looking around the room at each face mirroring his. Even law-abiding Liam was smiling. “Payno, what about you? Are you willing to drop your doctorly career and sing?”</p><p>“I’m almost done with this research commission – I will be by the time you’re out of here. I could take a break and be quite excited with it. Besides, I can do peer-reviews of studies, and music is therapy, after all.”</p><p>“That was a good quote!” Harry grinned.</p><p>“No, it wasn’t,” Louis hissed, shaking hand clamping down on his thigh because this actually sounded plausible. “Liam, do you think you can get Harry moved to the library? For the love of god, Niall, can you handle Harry’s current job?”</p><p>Niall puffed out his chest a bit. “Absolutely.”</p><p>Liam nodded with a gleam in his eye. “I’ll put in a file about mutual friendship and lack of stress helping Harry heal after the incidence. Right now, Simon is pretty lenient where Harry’s involved.”</p><p>“As he should be.” Louis gritted his teeth. “Can you do it, Haz? Can you teach me how to code?”</p><p>He looked frightened by the task. “I can try. Um, it’s not easy, and these computers are old, but…yeah, I should be able to show you how to get some message out.”</p><p>“Look at you all. Working together. I’m so proud,” Jeffery said disdainfully. “Get Harry and Niall switched as soon as possible. I’ll be joining these meetings. If I’m feeling generous, I suppose I’ll help your dynamics. Let’s make the pitch to Simon in a week, but when we do, I do all the talking. Are we clear?”</p><p>It was putting some faith in him. It was putting a lot of faith in a guy he’d never came across in here before. Then again, that said something about him. This guy knew his shit. It was all on the matter of whether he had their best interest or not.</p><p>“We’re clear,” Louis said firmly. There was no better offer, so if something went wrong, they’d have to deal with it then.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The End - The Beginning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Louis still had to take cautious showers to protect his stitches, so Harry was already settled by the time he made it back to the cell. Except this time, he was on his own bed – the sex bed. “Alright, Haz?” Louis asked, shucking off his jumper and tossing it beneath his bed. He sat on his own to pull off his prosthetic leg, looking at Harry with a raised eyebrow.</p><p>“I’m good,” he said, but his eyes were focused on his palms.</p><p>“Okay,” Louis said with a nervous chuckle, unsure how to proceed from there. “Sooo…why are you over there?”</p><p>Harry frowned to his hands again before looking up. He spoke with unsure footing. “I want to get off.” It was so abrupt, it took everything in Louis not to laugh. Normally, they could laugh, but he couldn’t risk upsetting Harry right now. “Uh, I’m just not sure how to go about that.”</p><p>“Help me out here, Harry, because I know you know how to have a wank,” Louis said gently, hopping over to sit beside him. He tapped on Harry’s forehead. “What’s going on in there, Curly?”</p><p>Harry heaved a big sigh before falling back on the bed, hunched at the neck because it was such a small thing. “I haven’t gotten off since before…it’s getting really painful.” He mumbled so quietly, and this time, Louis couldn’t hold back his laughter. “I know. It’s pathetic.”</p><p>“No.” Louis insisted, glad Harry didn’t sound horribly upset about any of this. “I’m sorry, love. Truly. Why haven’t you? I promise no more laughing.”</p><p>Harry only shrugged, the dejected look on his face staying solidly. Louis brought his injured leg up on the bed and turned so his fingers could comb through his curls. He didn’t use product in them again, and they were getting really tangled without it in the day, but at night when they were wet, they felt like silk.</p><p>“No urge for a while after. Too tired. Then, I tried and couldn’t breathe. He, um, was really rough. Haven’t touched myself since then.”</p><p>Louis frowned. “I’d offer to do it for you, but I can’t imagine that being any better.”</p><p>Harry nodded sullenly, closing his eyes in defeat. “I just feel safe with you here.” It was a whisper among the loud chatter of the prison. Lights out had been called, but the inmates always chattered for a while until the guards yelled at them. “If I can’t breathe again, you’ll be there, right?”</p><p>“Always,” Louis promised, setting his hand gently on top of Harry’s. He looked so vulnerable, staring up at him with glistening eyes that had too much fear in them.</p><p>“Promise not to laugh if I finish really fast?” Harry said, sounding surer of himself despite still being shrunken in the shadows. Louis’ lips turned up at that, and he took the opportunity to bend over and speak against his ear.</p><p>“I’ll be proud. Must mean I’m really fit, huh?” Louis whispered, enjoying the shudder than ran through Harry. With a half-concealed groan, Harry pushed himself up before immediately sending Louis to his back. “Gentle, love. Still recovering. Guess we both need things slow.”</p><p>Harry grinned to himself, letting his body only barely press down against Louis. “I love you,” Harry said so casually, but it still made Louis lose his breath hearing those words. His brown curls were finally long enough that they hung down to his shoulders, and when they lied like this, they brushed against Louis’ cheeks. It tickled, but he couldn’t complain. “You’re much more patient than you let on.”</p><p>“Some people are worth waiting for.” Louis whispered, eyes daring Harry to challenge his words. He didn’t. Instead, he leaned down and pressed his lips to Louis’. They were wet and soft, and they just reminded Louis how much he’d missed them. Louis kissed him back slowly, not interested in going fast or hard. This kiss was just a kiss, and by being that simple, it felt like so much more.</p><p>Harry’s tongue licked at his skin, sending a slow heat through Louis’ body. His hands cupped his cheeks tightly, like he was scared he’d somehow slip from his grasp. It was alarming at how tight he held him, and it was alarming at how good it felt. Slowly, Louis slid his arms around Harry’s body. When Harry only kissed him more deeply, Louis tightened his hands, holding Harry just as strong as Harry held him.</p><p>Harry kissed him a little harder, biting as well as kissing his lips, making Louis’ head swim. His grip slackened as he sank back into the bed, and when Harry pulled back and looked into his eyes, Louis was the one struggling to breathe. “Alright?” Louis whispered, voice raspy and caught up in his emotions.</p><p>A small grin encased Harry’s red lips. “Perfect,” he said definitively. “But I am going to come very fast.”</p><p>“Like if I just rubbed you off through your pants?” Louis wiggled his eyebrows, letting Harry know it was both a threat and an offer, but he was unsure if he should take it. Harry snorted sheepishly as he let his body fall back on top of Louis’, closer than before.</p><p>“Something like that…” Harry murmured, green eyes dark in the low light. His lips attached to Louis’ again, kissing him faster than before. His tongue licked into his mouth, making Louis’ head spin. Desperate to make Harry feel the same, Louis reached between them into his pants, gripping his hard cock.</p><p>Immediately, Harry went stiff. He pulled back from Louis, eyes clinging to Louis’ with fear swirling in the dark green. Louis didn’t move, unsure what he wanted him to do. “Breathe, Harry. It’s just me. Do you want me to stop?”</p><p>Harry let out a heavy breath of air, letting his body sink back into Louis’ touch slightly. He was still horribly stiff, and it hurt Louis’ heart so much knowing what caused this. “No. Just – slow. He was…it hurt when he - you know – a lot.”</p><p>Louis felt outside his body with rage, but he knew Harry didn’t want to talk about it more than he offered. Pity wouldn’t heal him. All Louis could do was be there for him in whatever way he required.</p><p>“I don’t want to hurt you.” Louis promised, eyes searching his for the fear that was slowly dissipating. “Should I keep going? Slow?”</p><p>Harry breathed out again, and he nodded, lips falling onto Louis’ again. Louis spit into his hand, not wanting risk a rough slide on Harry’s dick, and then he grasped him again gently. Harry kissed him deeply, slow enough to count the seconds. They both moved slowly. Louis pulled softly at Harry’s dick as their tongues moved around the other. He kept moving at such a slow pace he worried it wouldn’t be enough to get Harry off, but he didn’t dare go faster.</p><p>Harry moved his hips into Louis’ hand as his lips attached to Louis’ neck, sucking marks into his skin as moans fell from his lips. They were good moans, and with each one, Louis felt his own fears for Harry’s sanity slipping away.</p><p>“Lou,” Harry said with a bite to his collarbone that made Louis groan. “I’m so close.”</p><p>Louis grinned. He didn’t know where the memory came from, but the words spilled from his mouth anyways. “Am I being good for daddy?”</p><p>Harry moaned so loud Louis was sure the whole prison would hear him, but he didn’t care. He thrust into Louis’ fist as warm, thick cum coated it.</p><p>He’d missed that feeling. Harry fell against him like deadweight as Louis pulled his hand free. His green eyes were fucked out but watched Louis distantly, so Louis swirled his tongue around two of his fingers, licking up his cum.</p><p>“Fuck.”</p><p>Louis beamed happily. “So. Daddy?”</p><p>Harry scoffed tiredly as he picked up his head of Louis’ chest. “A little bit. Is that…alright?”</p><p>It always amazed Louis how quickly Harry shifted back into his meek, adorable self after sex, so different from the dominating persona he was during it. “You already know I like getting bossed around in bed. Calling you daddy just fits a bit, hmm?”</p><p>Harry presses his lips against his softly. “This is why I love you, Lou.”</p><p>“Obviously.”</p><p>Once they cleaned Harry up, they moved into Louis bed, and this time, Louis was the big spoon cradling Harry firmly in his arms. It gave them both relief – Louis at knowing he could do anything to protect the angel he loved so much, and Harry at being safely in the arms of the man who’d protect him with his life.</p><p>. . .</p><p>Louis was glad Harry and he had reassembled some aspect of their relationship before Harry began teaching him how to code. It was a frustrating task that did not go well the first day.</p><p>“What do you mean, Harold? That’s not a real word!”</p><p>“Yes, I know, Louis, but that’s coding. The real word is in there. Right there.”</p><p>“I don’t see it.”</p><p>Harry’s head fell on the desk loudly. He looked ready to say something else, but then the door opened, so they had to shut it down and separate. The day continued like that. Every now and then, they’d get time to work on it, but it was slow going, which didn’t help their tempers.</p><p>After the third day of trying, Louis was fed up with him enough that he slept in Harry’s bed alone, not feeling angry enough to force Harry to sleep in cum-filled sheets, but also not being able to handle his words of encouragement.</p><p>“How is the coding going?” Niall asked at practice on the evening of the fourth day. Louis just looked at him miserably. “That bad?”</p><p>“It’s an ancient computer, and it should be an ancient language, Nialler.” Louis plopped down on the couch beside him. Harry let out a loud sigh and sat on Niall’s other side.</p><p>“It’s not that hard.”</p><p>“Maybe you’re just a bad teacher,” Louis said, sticking his tongue out pointedly. Niall raised his eyebrows at the two of them, but they ignored it.</p><p>“At this point, Louis, I’m just teaching you the terms. You have to give some effort here,” Harry said with a slight growl to his voice. It made Louis narrow his eyes. “They search everything when you leave or I’d write down a step by step instruction.”</p><p>Niall glanced between the duo as Liam and Jeffery made their way into the room. “Have you made any progress?”</p><p>Harry huffed, but Louis turned his face up and said, “I know where to go to start it.”</p><p>Niall winced, meaning even he knew that wasn’t much progress at all. The air was stiff with tension as Jeffery sat on a lone chair and Liam took his place on the coffee table. “That’s not enough, Louis. Try harder.”</p><p>“I am trying!” Louis shouted, but nobody jumped in the least. “It’s not bloody easy!”</p><p>“Think of it as another language,” Liam said, glancing at Harry for confirmation. “Even if it doesn’t make complete sense, keep going and it will.”</p><p>The temperature had to have been hotter in the room than normal because Louis felt himself begin to sweat. He felt ready to strangle all of them. “Every time I get stuck, Harry chews his lip and tells me that it’s not even close to the hard part at the end. How the fuck am I supposed to keep going then, Payno? Please tell me.”</p><p>Liam kicked his foot out at Harry, who shrugged. “I don’t want to lie to him.”</p><p>“Well, you could be a little more encour-,”</p><p>“I am encouraging.” Harry pouted, and it made Louis’ heart squeeze painfully knowing he was the reason he was upset, but Louis was upset, too. He’d been upset the last four days, to be exact. It was an annoying cycle of trying to ignore the guilt Harry threw at him.</p><p>“How?” Liam asked. “There are good and bad motivators, so maybe we just need to modify it.”</p><p>Red washed over Harry’s cheeks, and he was suddenly very interested in the floor. “Told him he could fuck me when he gets it.”</p><p>Louis screamed, clutching at his head as he paced the floor. Harry was infuriating and absolutely idiotic. “Yes, Harry! I’m just dying to make you relive traumatic, painful memories so I can get off! Because I’m that type of person! Thanks for that, truly.”</p><p>Harry ran a hand through his hair, a move that only fueled Louis’ irritation. “That’s not how I see-,”</p><p>“Enough!” Jeffery shouted, pinching the bridge of his nose as he stood up. “You two are a mess. We have a meeting with Simon in five days. If there is no progress on your end, it’s completely pointless. Do you understand?”</p><p>Louis rolled his eyes. “Obviously. It’s just-,”</p><p>“I don’t want to hear excuses, Louis, and I wouldn’t imagine you would either,” Jeffery said in a cold voice that held a threat in it. Louis just couldn’t figure out what it was. He looked into his eyes that held the challenge. “Harry’s freedom rests on you. Step it up for your boyfriend if you care about him, alright?” The room went silent, and Louis suddenly felt like he couldn’t swallow. His eyes scanned the falsely lit room and rested heavily on Harry’s wild curls. “Now. Let’s get to work. We need more songs. Simon will want his pick of them. Liam, let’s hear yours first.”</p><p>The rest of practice went by in a haze. Louis had songs prepared, and he handed them the lyrics, but he couldn’t stop thinking about Jeffery’s words. He’d always known it was riding on him, but Jeffery calling him out made all these little fights seem like an insult toward Harry. Learning how to code a basic website with a secret key wasn’t an option. It had to be done, and blaming anyone for their fallbacks just took time away. Louis had to learn. He couldn’t leave innocent Harry in here for the rest of his life.</p><p>By the end of practice, they’d put together two more songs fairly well. They needed practice, but it was enough to sell someone on the idea of the song. Louis should have been more excited, but his stomach sank as Harry hurried out the door without waiting on him.</p><p>Louis began to chase after him, but Niall caught him around the waist and pulled him back. “Give him some space, Tommo. He got his hopes up, and this made them disappear. He’ll come around. We’ll work past it.”</p><p>Niall patted his shoulder once more before pestering Jeffery on his way down the stairs. The words were nice to hear, but it didn’t counter in all the effort that went into making their plan work. If they couldn’t work past the first struggle, there would be no more; the plan would be over.</p><p>“You could apologize, you know.”</p><p>Louis whipped around to find Liam looking at him with too cheerful disdain. It was like this was a non-issue that both bothered and pleased him. “Why are you looking at me like that?” Louis asked to give himself more time to think on what Liam said.</p><p>Liam shrugged as he gathered the binder with their songs and his notes mixed together inside. “This is a couple’s fight. It’s something I saw all the time in my couple’s counseling.”</p><p>“So?” Louis crossed his arms, shifting from foot to fake-foot uneasily. It wasn’t something he often did, but he found he couldn’t stay still. There was something keeping him interested in Liam’s response. It was the gleam of pride and hope in those brown bear eyes of his.</p><p>“It means you’ve healed enough to open yourself up to a real relationship.” Liam had a smile on his face that would make Harry smile. All it made Louis do was breathe a little faster. Or maybe that was his words. “It means you found something more important to focus on than the past.”</p><p>It was an alarming statement, if only because it was so true. In these grey prison walls, Louis was constantly reminded of generally why he was here, but it had been a long time since he thought of the details. It had been a long time since the knowledge that his actions lead to people’s deaths paralyzed him in the night. It had been a long time since he felt like he was better off with the world rotting where he stood.</p><p>It was also a horribly cheesy statement, so Louis let out a bark of laughter that lead to his voice cracking. It was a horrendous attempt at easing the tension of Liam’s words, but neither of them felt urged to point that out. “Right, well, this bloody music wasn’t the reason. I’ll tell you that.”</p><p>Liam grinned widely, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and helping him down the stairs. A thought plagued Louis’ mind, and though Liam probably had the answer, he knew he needed to figure it out on his own. If music didn’t heal him, what did?</p><p>. . .</p><p>The next day, Louis made progress. He had Harry do most of the library work when someone entered so he could mess around on the computer. They decided to approach it differently. Baby steps. Harry gave him goals, and Louis actually met a few of them.</p><p>It eased some tension between them, enough that Harry patted the tiny spot on their shared sleeping bed that night. They didn’t speak about more than the logistics of the plan, so Louis knew he needed to talk to him soon. Needed to console him. The issue was he had no idea how. A large part of him was as terrified as Harry that their plan would fail, even if he refused to verbally say as much.</p><p>It came to a peak the day of the meeting with Simon.</p><p>Louis was fiddling with the computer idly. He’d met Harry’s goal a few minutes ago, and he would have said as much, but he recalled something Harry had pounded into his head on their second day of ‘training’ about intuition and following the prompts. Now, he was no longer getting ‘invalid’ as a response, and he was moving on further into areas he half understood but was decently sure were correct.</p><p>Harry, on the other hand, was pacing back and forth. His fingers were bitten down raw, and Louis worried he’d pull his hair out soon. “Could you chill out, Haz? Need me to blow you or summat?”</p><p>“Not funny.” Harry said, eyes colder than usual. “Focus. Are you making any progress?”</p><p>Louis rolled his eyes, spinning in the chair to face Harry with a look of disdain. “Don’t sound so hopeful over there, darling.”</p><p>Despite blush coating his cheeks, Harry’s stiff posture didn’t change. Instead, he spoke lowly, in a voice that teetered between terrified and angry. “I don’t want to die in here, Louis. If you cared about me at all, you’d take this seriously.”</p><p>And this…just wasn’t what Louis was expecting. He should have been, all things considered, but his excitement was crushed at the audible and physical realization that Harry had experienced no relief from their plans. He’d been resigned to spending his days here before, and now that the chance for rightful freedom was dangled in front of him, it was tearing his pacifist heart alive.</p><p>Louis sighed, glancing around the library to find it was time for lunch. He deleted his progress, deciding if he couldn’t repeat what he’d learned then it wasn’t anything to celebrate after all, and gripped Harry’s wrist tightly. Despite Harry fighting against him, Louis pulled Harry into the basement, searching for the secluded pantry that nobody would be using since the food was already prepared. Once they found it, he shoved Harry down on a sack of flour and sat below him on the floor, legs spread out and open.</p><p>“Alright. You’re angry, and maybe a little scared, but a wise man once told me to talk to somebody about suppressed rage. So talk to me.”</p><p>Harry tilted his head, eyes remaining narrowed, as if he didn’t trust Louis’ words for a second. Then, they settled into him, and his physically crumpled. His head fell between his legs, resting heavily in his hands. “I can’t.”</p><p>Louis scowled, kicking at his feet with his own. He missed their easy touching, but between Harry still sometimes flinching with touch and their tension as of lately, Louis very rarely trusted himself well enough to initiate it. “Why?”</p><p>His green eyes burned at he stared at Louis like he was painful fire burning his skin. “Because I’m angry at you. I’m angry at everyone here. I – I did nothing wrong. I’ve never stolen or lied. I’ve never harmed anyone, accidental or on purpose, and here I am, likely to rot in prison when…”</p><p>“When me and Niall might walk free.” Louis finished for him with a hollow, choked voice. “When we killed people and you didn’t.”</p><p>Instantly, Harry’s eyes filled with regret despite them not even being his words. “I’m sorry, Lou. I -,”</p><p>Louis kicked at him again, scowling. “Don’t be sorry, Harry. I – I’m better now. Even Liam said so. I swear. I can talk about it. You’re not wrong, Harry. I deserve to be here so much more than you. We all do. This is unfair. You should be angry.”</p><p>Harry still looked guilty, but he released the pent-up energy keeping his body stiff and let his legs stretch out enough to press against Louis’. “I was an idiot,” Harry said with a hoarse voice. His eyes were misty and confused. Louis hadn’t seen Harry so conflicted before. “I was an idiot in ways everyone is at some point. I shouldn’t have to pay so badly for it just because Nick was exceptionally evil. God. Fuck.”</p><p>Hot tears spilled down his cheeks. It made the green in his eyes flash hauntingly. He looked broken and lost, and Louis couldn’t stop himself from moving to his side and wrapping his arms around him tightly. “I’m going to get you out of here, Harry. I promise. I won’t stop until I do.”</p><p>“Louis, you don’t-,”</p><p>“I can do it,” Louis said, voice shaking less as he pulled back enough to meet Harry’s glistening gaze. “I met all your goals today. Was just about to tell you, actually. I kinda went past them.”</p><p>Harry was quiet, hands shaking as they clamped down on Louis’ knees. “That’s amazing, Lou. That’s -,”</p><p>“I dunno if they’re right, but it’s progress, Haz,” Louis said, uncaring how hopeful he sounded. “If they’re wrong, then I’ll fix it. If I have to work every hour for months on end learning how to code by the best money can buy, I’ll do it. I swear. I will get you out of here.”</p><p>Harry cried harder, burying his face in Louis’ neck, and it made Louis wonder how this was the first time he’d seen him truly cry before. Louis wiped at his cheeks with the care he used on his little sisters when they’d had a bad dream. He even ran his hand through his hair in a soothing massage that seemed to keep Harry from sobbing more.</p><p>“I love you, Louis,” Harry said with a shudder, kissing his skin slightly before pulling back and looking into his eyes with affection. “So fucking much.”</p><p>Louis smiled, tossing his legs over Harry’s lap to pull himself closer. “I love you, too, Harry.” It might have been only the second or third time he said it, but it only felt fractionally easier than the first. He wondered if telling him those words would continue feeling like ripping off a sliver of his heart and handing it over to Harry forever. It was somehow worth it.</p><p>Louis’ fingers fiddled with the cross hanging around Harry’s neck. It was fake gold because somebody had stolen his real one early one, a fact he’d shared with horridly hidden sadness one night. “What do you think it’ll be like when we all get out of here? Think we’ll ever see Zayn?”</p><p>Harry’s curls tickled his ear as he nuzzled into his neck again, this time with a soft smile threatening at his lips. “We’ll visit him if he doesn’t get out. We’ll schedule time between tours.”</p><p>At that, they both giggled. “You really think we’ll make it big?”</p><p>Harry shrugged. “We’ll have to try for a while. I’m sure they’ll make us sign a contract for it.”</p><p>Louis nodded. He’d done contracts before. They were so easily manipulated. He made a mental note to get a very good lawyer. “At least we’re out of the closet already. They can’t force us back in.”</p><p>Harry nodded, dimples popping out as he smiled. Louis looked down at him and poked one giddily. “Good. I want a big wedding, and that’d be hard to do in the closet.”</p><p>Louis’ voice raised octaves, but he used Liam’s methods of reassuring himself that this was absolutely something he could want in the future if he just slowed his defense mechanisms down a bit to admit that. “You proposing?”</p><p>Harry snorted. “No. Could never do it in this shite place.” Surprisingly, Louis was both relieved and saddened by his response. “You already have a kid, though, so…I think about it a lot.”</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>Harry nodded, hand fiddling with the elastic at Louis’ waist that had slipped free from the frayed orange fabric. “Yeah. Reminds me you can be domestic and all. Makes me think of the kids we could raise. With Freddie’s big-brother guidance, of course.”</p><p>It was just too much in all the right ways. Now Louis was blinking tears out of his eyes. He could see it, was the thing. He could see their future, and he wanted it so badly. “Don’t worry, love. We’ll have that.”</p><p>Hours later, Harry’s words were bouncing endlessly around inside his head. He went into the meeting with Simon with more stubborn ambition than he’d had since his football career.</p><p>Jeffery did more talking than Louis would have liked. Simon gazed at them with growing greedy eyes that made Louis weary of ever trusting him. He was the warden that let their guards beat their prisoners upon entrance and on. He wasn’t in it for good morals. He wanted profit.</p><p>“Jeffery, I am reluctant to do business with ex business partners,” Simon said, twiddling his fingers behind his too-large desk. Niall, Harry, and Louis stood behind Jeffery and Liam, all in handcuffs aside from Liam. “I am even more reluctant to do business with prisoners. Additionally, I am shocked Doctor Payne would desire such a thing.”</p><p>Liam went into an excessive spiel about his love of music, and when nobody cut him off, Louis cleared his throat and stepped forward. “Look, I get you don’t trust us, but you don’t exactly need trust when it comes to making money via the public eye and contracts. I’ve been doing it for years even though nobody trusts me, not even me son’s own mother. People pay for interesting, and there’s nothing more interesting than our band.”</p><p>Simon’s eyes were dancing with cash at his words. Louis was, above all else, persuasive. “Yes. Despite your little gay-announcement, you, Mr. Tomlinson, seem to be thriving, though you wouldn’t know that.” Louis grit his teeth at the jab at his power play here. He needed to sweet talk him, not insult his pathetic arse. “Alright. I’ll play along. Even if I put in the best words for Tomlinson and Horan, I can’t do much about the FBI-rat here.”</p><p>“I can,” Louis said. “He’s innocent, and there is proof. I can’t tell you how, but he’ll file an appeal and win the case. All you have to do is get me out as soon as possible.”</p><p>Simon snorted, crossing his arms and letting his glasses fall down his nose in a way that he surely thought aired his intelligence. Louis believed it made him look stupid and old. “You really expect me to send two delinquents out into the world based off a criminal’s word?”</p><p>Liam cleared his throat. “Not to speak out of HIPPA, but I’ve already filed case studies on all three of these lads. They’ve shown significant improvement.”</p><p>Simon’s expression didn’t change a bit. He rolled his eyes and began to wave his hand, and that was when Louis realized they had lost this. Jeffery’s enticing words hadn’t been enough. This was what they’d been afraid of. They couldn’t exactly show Simon of Louis’ illegal coding progress.</p><p>“If you help us, you can take a percentage of my profit with the next three promotional ads I take. You’ll be an advisor for my team, or whatever. You set it up and I’ll do it - if our band doesn’t pan out.” Louis said the words without truly thinking them through. It wasn’t the worst thing to give up, but he hated the thought of Simon profiting regardless of the outcome of their risky plan.</p><p>Simon grinned. “We have ourselves a deal, once it’s in writing from your manager, of course. And one more thing. I want Zayn Malik to join you. He was originally part of your band, and I think a band of criminals will really sell with a pyro mixed in. I believe I heard he’s getting released soon.”</p><p>Liam looked ready to swing a fist in his face, but Jeffery elbowed him to keep his resolve.</p><p>“I do have to say, I’m shocked you’re giving up your pack. Aren’t you considered some alpha around here, Tommo?”</p><p>He’d never known if Simon was aware of the hierarchy going on in his prison, but now it was confirmed. With a tired smirk, Louis shrugged. “I’m not violent enough to be an alpha, Simon.”</p><p>Maybe it hadn’t always been true, but it was now.</p><p>. . .</p><p>With Simon’s help, Louis got released four months later. It took him five exhausting tries to contact Ed Sheeren. They met at an internet café like it was a casual going out for tea among mates aside from them both being as concealed as possible. It took only a minute of convincing to persuade Ed to help Harry. After days of coming to the café, sometimes without Louis even, Ed finally found the video and spread it all over social media. He hacked into the biggest influencers accounts and spread the video with a caption explaining that this man was still in prison. It would have been enough from Louis’ account alone seeing as they only needed the world to see it and keep it from being deleted. The vast public’s outrage only spurred them to move the appeal up. It was only weeks after Niall’s own trial.</p><p>Niall got released smoothly. Louis’ lawyer had no issues creating a solid case once he obtained the video of the accidental bar fight that Niall did not start. He was released that very day. Louis and Lottie both witnessed the trial and got to see Niall sob into his mother’s arms. He hugged them next, swinging Lottie around with the happiness only found in a free man. Louis decided he probably was one of the best people for his sister.</p><p>Sometime between Niall’s trial and Harry’s, Zayn moved forward with his release appeal. These were harder to obtain from a mental institution. It meant he had to have two trials. The first happened at the hospital a while ago where they found he’d made enough progress to be trusted in the public under a long list of drugs. Zayn had never given drug therapy a chance before, so Louis couldn’t believe he agreed. When Liam testified at his court trial, Louis had a sneaking suspicion that just maybe Liam had given Zayn a reason to want to get better.</p><p>Harry’s trial was the scariest of them all.</p><p>Louis had been visiting him every other week since he’d been released, but it was like being teased. They couldn’t touch. Their conversations were overheard. They could barely leave without one of them crying knowing how badly they ached for each other. It took literal months. Months of Louis being on the outside, promoting for Simon, visiting family, also going to court to gain back parental rights so he could see his son more than twice a month, and ultimately feeling unsettled without Harry by his side.</p><p>The video was a simple webcam shoot from Harry’s laptop. It was supposed to be encrypted so that only Harry had access to it, but there were hackers beyond hackers in the FBI, so that was how they got their hands on it in the first place. The first time Louis watched it was in the courtroom. Harry’s mum and sister sat one row ahead of him across the aisle. It was nerve-wracking. Gemma kept her composure easily, letting Anne clutch her arm tightly as she held back tears.</p><p>Everyone watched as the video clearly showed Harry log out of his computer and jump into the bathroom as Nick passed him with a dirty pat to his bum that made Louis cross his arms. He’d almost forgotten Harry had ever been with that arse. Nick sat at the computer and typed in a password that the screen recording revealed as Harry’s. From there, he kept glancing at a notepad that was never recovered, but he did it enough to make Louis believe it was steps to a complicated process to get into Harry’s classified access. Sure enough, soon he was exploring sites nobody should have access to except highly trusted officials.</p><p>Five days later, the trial was complete. Harry Styles was found not-guilty.</p><p>Cheers erupted among the court, but it took everything in Louis not to burst into tears. Anne did not have his composure, sobbing with joy. Louis thought she was going to try to rush over the barrier to hug Harry, who was crying silently with the biggest grin Louis had ever seen. The guards still had to take him back to retrieve his things, though, and would not appreciate Anne rushing them. Instead of turning, she kept her pace set straight for Louis, and the next thing he knew, she had her arms around his neck, sobbing into his chest.</p><p>“Thank you. Thank you, Louis. Thank you, thank you, thank you.” Anne cried, hands fisting in his shirt for dear life. “You brought my boy back to me. Thank you.”</p><p>Louis was crying now, too. He caught Harry’s eye with a sheepish grin before hugging Anne back so fiercely he couldn’t breathe. “I wish I could have done it sooner. It wasn’t me, either. I only-,”</p><p>Anne shook her head, pulling back to look at him with bleary, beautiful eyes. “You saved him. He told me as much as he could. This wouldn’t have happened without you.”</p><p>It made his heart twist painfully, and he wiped his eyes as he struggled to get words out. “You don’t have to thank me.” Louis shook his head, looking again over her shoulder to see Harry being led to the back to grab his things. Louis took it upon himself to lead Anne out of the courtroom and into the warm, overcast air. It would rain soon, but hopefully they’d get Harry before then. Without the four walls, people, and reporters close around them, Louis felt a little freer to talk openly. This was, after all, the first time he got to meet Harry’s mum. “I just can’t believe he’s free. Thank God.”</p><p>Suddenly, there was another woman hugging on Louis. She was quick about it, but she, too, had tears in her eyes. “Louis Tomlinson. I had my doubts about you seeing my brother. You don’t have the best track record, but after this, I guess you’re alright.”</p><p>Louis stepped back, rocking on his heels as he took in who was surely Gemma Styles. “Thank you, Gemma. I’ll, admit it; my past is shit, but I’m a different person now. I’m good now. I have to be. For my son and for Harry. I don’t ever want to lose either of them again.”</p><p>Anne patted Louis on the cheek with a grim smile. “I can see that, Louis. You’re a changed, man. And congratulations on winning your custody hearing last week.”</p><p>Louis grinned. Simon helped him on that after he promised to do more advertising before they revealed the band. He put in good words for him about mentoring people in prison and good behavior. It was a corrupt system, but Louis was going to use it to his benefit to get his son back. Now he got to visit Freddie anytime throughout the week and could request weekends occasionally. It wasn’t what he ultimately wanted, but it was a start.</p><p>“Harry’s almost as excited to meet Freddie as he was for this trial to go well,” Gemma said with a laugh. Louis had been thinking about it a lot. He didn’t know how to introduce Harry to Freddie. Shockingly, Briana was okay with Harry being part of Freddie’s life as long as he stuck around. She liked that he was once an NCA agent that had only been falsely accused.</p><p>“I’m a little worried, to be honest. Harry probably barely tolerates me. I dunno what he’s gonna do when my kid pulls his curly locks.” Louis huffed, running a hand through his hair. He’d finally cut it and immediately missed the hair that just began to touch his neck.</p><p>Gemma snorted. “Yeah. He’s overly protective of his hair. It’s ridiculous.”</p><p>“Understandable, though. It’s gorgeous,” Louis said, glancing to the steps of the courtroom in hopes of spotting them. His body was thrumming with energy. He’d forgotten how Harry’s hair smelled, and how his arms held him so tightly, and how his voice sounded directly against his ears. He ached for it. Suddenly, Anne gasped and clutched Louis’ arm tightly, and when he looked again, Harry stood under the entrance of the courthouse dressed in a full suit with a deep button down vest. “God. He’s gorgeous.”</p><p>“Well go on then.” Gemma gave Louis a shove toward the steps, but it only made him stumble. He was finally getting to look at Harry in the real world, and he could barely handle it.</p><p>“No,” Louis said, voice clammy. “You two haven’t seen him in so long. He needs his family. I can wait for him however long it takes.”</p><p>Anne placed her hands over her heart, looking at him with fresh tears. “You’re very kind.” Then, she was running up the steps, falling into Harry’s arms without a second thought. Harry jolted, but he held her tightly and buried his face into her neck.</p><p>“You’re his family, too, you know. Probably more than either of us lately.” Louis frowned in question. Gemma’s smile fell from her face mournfully. “Harry wouldn’t tell me what was going on in there, but… every time I saw him, he was tense. He flinched when I tried to hold his hand. And he almost cried when he sat down a few times.” Gemma looked at Louis with a pain that was deeply rooted. She felt guilty, as if she hadn’t done enough to protect Harry. That, Louis could easily understand. It took Louis too long to help Harry. “I’m not dumb. I know what that means in the prison system. I’m not asking you to say anything. It’s his past. All I know is a few weeks after you showed up in his life, Harry got better. Not fully. Still flinched a bit when men passed. Still had a slightly fearful look in his eyes. But he moved around when he sat. He smiled more, mainly when he talked about you, which always took up half the visit.” Gemma shrugged, looking at Louis as if he’d be stupid to question her. “You’ve helped him through the toughest time of his life. You are family.”</p><p>Gemma darted up the steps, replacing his mother in Harry’s arms. Her words weren’t shocking; Louis had witnessed everything she’d described, but he’d never put it together like that. All he did was get him away from Nick’s tyranny. Harry did the healing on his own, he’d assumed. Then again, Louis didn’t heal himself on his own. True healing couldn’t be done without those around who would support you unconditionally, and Louis finally had that.</p><p>“Louis Tomlinson, it has been said this Harry Styles is your boyfriend. Is that true?”</p><p>“Why hadn’t you come out before?”</p><p>“How did you feel about the trial?”</p><p>“Did you always believe Mr. Styles was innocent?”</p><p>“Will you continue writing music together? Your songs went viral.”</p><p>“Who is the top and who is the bottom between you two?”</p><p>Louis had gotten plenty of questions from reporters about Harry during his interviews for Simon. He never gave a definite answer, wanting to save that for a time he could celebrate it with Harry. He did, however, comment on his sexuality, which brought on loads of questions like the last that just stood to irritate him.</p><p>“Lou?” This time, it was Harry calling out to him. With his sister on one arm and his mum on the other, Harry looked like a truly noble man. He wore an expectant smirk on his lips, as if asking him what was taking him so long.</p><p>“Get of me way, you fooking loosahs,” Louis said in a low growl, daring anyone to get in his path. He bolted up the steps, grinning when Harry broke free and met him midway.</p><p>Louis stopped a step below him, as if too frozen to touch him. The green in Harry’s eyes held him hostage, but Harry kept going, falling into Louis with a sheepish, “Oops.”</p><p>“Hi.” Louis breathed, licking his lips in anticipation. “You’re too tall up there. Not bloody fair.”</p><p>“I can fix that,” Harry said before he bent over and gripped Louis’ bum, physically lifting him into the air. Louis gave a yelp, but Harry’s lips swallowed it, and soon his legs were around his slim waist, clinging on tightly while he licked into his plump, precious lips that sent his world spinning. He physically couldn’t catch his breath, even when he buried his nose into his neck and cried, uncaring who saw or heard. “Baby. I’ve missed you so much.”</p><p>“I saw you two weeks ago.” Louis laughed through his tears, nipping his skin before pulling back to stare at his face that he loved so much.</p><p>“Not the same.” Harry kissed him again, grinning as he pulled away. “Don’t take this the wrong way, love, but your prosthetic isn’t the comfiest thing to have digging in my back.”</p><p>Louis laughed, hopping down on a step above Harry’s and wrapping his arms easily around his shoulders. “Hmm. I like this more anyhow. I’m taller than you.”</p><p>Harry began to roll his eyes, but Louis kissed him before he could make much of a reaction. He licked into his mouth, savoring the feel of his lips on his skin again. This was his favorite thing to do, Louis decided. When their tongues met and his head began to spin, a rough shove jolted them out of their position.</p><p>“Harry Styles, you are in public!”</p><p>Knowing Anne just watched Louis snog Harry’s lips off made him bury his face in Harry’s shoulder. It didn’t stop her from smacking them both upside the head again. “Honestly. Come on, you two. Let’s get Harry some real food.”</p><p>Dinner with Anne and Gemma was similar to how lunch went when Louis got released from prison. His family sat as close as possible and caught him up on every living thing possible. It was entertaining to see Harry so overwhelmed. It did, however, make Louis miss his own family even though he’d gotten to see them only a week ago.</p><p>“Ladies, and Harry,” Louis interjected as he grabbed the check. “James sort of forced me to throw a party tonight. Nothing huge. He just wanted the new band to celebrate the last member’s freedom. It won’t be long, and my family will be there. I’d love it if you joined us. There are plenty of guest rooms at our house.”</p><p>“Our?” Gemma asked, looking at Louis with confusion. Harry choked on his drink, encouraging Louis to rub his back.</p><p>“I, uh, said I’d move in with him, actually,” Harry said, rubbing at his neck as he surveyed their reactions. For the longest time, Anne and Gemma seemed skeptical. “He’s closer to the recording studios than either of you, and my things were already in storage just thirty minutes away, and-,”</p><p>“And I love him,” Louis said, smiling unashamedly at the women in front of him. Harry let out a honking, embarrassing laugh as he covered his mouth. Gemma snorted smugly, and Anne grinned.</p><p>“Yeah. That, too, um, I love him, too, so…” Harry stumbled over his words worse than ever, but it made Louis that much happier to be back in his presence.</p><p>“Well, I suppose we simply must get a tour of the house you’ll be living in,” Anne said as she stood and patted Harry’s cheek. “Will Freddie be there?”</p><p>“He will.”</p><p>“No fucking way,” Harry said, jaw dropping open in awe. Louis hadn’t seen his green eyes so wide before. It made him laugh, and when Anne smacked him upside the head, it made him laugh more. “Sorry. Just – will I get to meet him?”</p><p>“Obviously,” Louis said. “Briana is only staying for a little while with him, but she wants to meet you with him before letting him stay at the house any.”</p><p>And then, Harry was pulling Louis out of his seat and hugging him so tight he no longer could breathe. His scent washed over Louis, making his muscles relax completely. Harry was safe. He was here to stay in his arms forever. It felt impossible, but here he was.</p><p>“Can we go now?” Harry asked, eagerly keeping Louis tucked under his arms. It made Anne and Gemma laugh, but they all eventually made their way to the cars. “Oh. I, um, should-,”</p><p>“Go with your mum and sister,” Louis said with an eye roll, shoving him toward them with a slap on the bum. “I’ll get you all to myself tonight.”</p><p>The comment made Harry give him a mischievous look and nearly stumble over his feet at the same time. Harry on all accounts was equally sexy and uncoordinated. Louis loved it. By the time Louis made it home, he’d talked to Simon’s PR team about the press outside of the courthouse. With Jeffery’s help, the most they could do was advise the boys, so Louis politely turned down their offers of smoothing over the dating rumors. Instead, he informed them he’d be posting a picture with Harry on his social media accounts tonight and hung up.</p><p>The party was in full swing when they entered. He’d instructed James to manage it like it were his own, though Louis made a note to have his accountant look over the bills a few times by the end of it. Louis directed Harry’s family to where they could put their things, and when he came back down, he found Harry talking animatedly to James, Lottie, and Niall.</p><p>“Ah! The happy couple that was never supposed to be!” Louis said, a grin erupting on his face despite his words. Niall, to his credit, laughed nervously, but Lottie only gave him a soft punch on the arm and fell back into Niall’s side.</p><p>”At least their PDA is better than you and Harry moaning all night,” James said with a large grin. Louis flipped him the middle finger.</p><p>“You’re a bastard, Louis,” Lottie said, looking at Harry for confirmation. Before he could do anything of the sorts, Louis weaved under his arm and tucked himself into his side. “I was just getting to know Harry and quickly decided he’s too good for you. Seriously, Harry, you can do much better than a-,”</p><p>“Heyy,” Harry said, pouting out his bottom lip and hugging onto Louis tighter. It made him feel far too warm inside. “I like my Lou. Couldn’t trade him for anyone else.”</p><p>“I told you. They’ve only gotten worse.” It was a familiar voice that Louis had, shockingly, come to miss. Louis spun around, mouth hanging open as he was met with the sight of Liam Payne attached to the hip of Zayn Malik. Without thinking about it, Louis flung himself at the pair, hugging them both as close to him as he could manage.</p><p>“I guess you did make some progress with this shitehead. Never could have gotten a smile and hug out of him before,” Zayn said in the snarky voice that made Louis grin. He stepped back, falling against Harry’s body with his arms crossing over his chest as he took in the duo.</p><p>“Well, well, well. This may be the biggest rebel-act Payno has ever done. How does it feel, Zayn? To know you broke Mr. Perfect?” Louis asked, grinning effortlessly. It was the five of them all back together, but this time, they were all free. No prison cells to keep them locked away.</p><p>“To be fair, I snogged him in his office. He only kissed back for a minute or so.” Zayn said, like it was common knowledge, but it wasn’t, and everyone gasped. Liam smacked his hand to his face, muttering as much into Zayn’s ear. The boy blushed, shrugging like he wasn’t all that concerned. “I mean. I left the next day, so…”</p><p>“Well, you’re not leaving now. Hope you’re all cured and shite. We’ll be seeing a lot of each other for a while, and I’d appreciate not being burned with fire every time we hang out,” Louis said, making Liam and Harry smack him for being insensitive, but Zayn only shook his head and grinned back at him.</p><p>”Boy! I can’t wait to go on tour with you all,” James exclaimed with a bright smile that instantly fell away. “Oh wait. You forgot to include me! Right! No offense taken there!”</p><p>Everyone laughed, and Harry slung his arm around James and nuzzled into his neck. It didn’t make Louis jealous. Not at all. “Aw, James, of course you’ll be our, uh, publicist on tour!”</p><p>”Well, I was going to suggest security slash back up singer, but I suppose that works...” James shrugged, spinning around the room and gasping.</p><p>“Harry, there is a tiny blonde boy waving at you.” James looked across the living room. There weren’t too many more people there. Louis had neglected to greet his family, though they always made themselves at home in his house, and they’d also cozied up to Harry’s mum and sister, but he’d completely missed Briana showing up with Freddie. There Freddie stood, searching across the faces in the room.</p><p>“Really?” Harry asked, whispering to Louis with a pinched expression on his face. “He knows who I am?”</p><p>Louis shrugged. “I may have shown him the video of us singing and shit.”</p><p>Harry looked ready to pass out, but Louis dragged him forward anyways. Freddie wore navy trousers and a white top, looking like a true sailor as he hopped ran to Louis, who picked him up effortlessly. “Daddy, is this him? Your boyyyyfriend?”</p><p>The term surprised Louis. He’d introduced Harry as such, but he didn’t think it stuck completely in Freddie’s mind. Then again, Briana had introduced him to plenty of her boyfriends, so he supposed it wasn’t a big jump.</p><p>Freddie had a serious look etched on his face, making Louis hoist him higher on his hip with a proud smile. His blonde hair was brighter than ever, even for having lived in the shaded UK for the past six months. “Yes, Freddie. This is my boyfriend, Harry Styles.”</p><p>“Hi, Freddie,” Harry said, dimples popping out on his face with his wide grin. Louis whispered about them to Freddie, who leaned forward and poked them. Harry made a hurt face, which caused Freddie to giggle. “Louis said your birthday is coming up soon. How old will you turn?”</p><p>“Six!”</p><p>“Really? You look older to me. I was going to guess thirteen. Odd.”</p><p>Freddie erupted into giggles, burying his face into Louis’ neck. While his movements sent Louis off balance, it was probably one of the best feelings in the world. Then, Freddie asked to touch Harry’s curls, so he crawled into Harry’s arms to the shock of both men. Normally, Harry would throw a fit over getting his pretty curls messed with, but his face was only one of awe as Freddie ran both hands through his hair, completely tangling the beautiful curls and making both Tomlinsons laugh.</p><p>“Hello.” It was a voice Louis embarrassingly forgot sometimes. Briana touched his shoulder as she moved past him to stand before Harry. “You must be Harry Styles. I’m Briana.”</p><p>Louis hated the superiority in her voice, as if she had a more permanent position in his life than his boyfriend, but Harry didn’t even blink an eye. Instead, he shifted Freddie more forward on his hip and smiled between him and Briana. “Freddie, did you know your mum is a fashion expert? She puts together some amazing outfits, even for obstinate people like your daddy! Isn’t that cool?”</p><p>Freddie laughed, smacking hair over his eyes before crawling back to Louis. “I think your boyfriend like-likes mommy.”</p><p>“He better not,” Louis said with a grunt, digging his fingers into Freddie’s stomach to make him laugh.</p><p>Harry chuckled nervously, extending a hand toward Briana. “It’s great to meet you. I am a big fan of your work, by the way.”</p><p>Shockingly, Briana smiled, and she almost never smiled in Louis’ presence. “Alright, Louis. At least you got one with a brain on him this time.” Harry began to thank her, but she held out her hands for Freddie. “It’s past his bedtime, but he can stay the weekend if he wants. Would you like that Freddie?”</p><p>“I was going to play with your eye sparkles,” Freddie said with a pout that was cuter than even Harry’s, and that was saying something.</p><p>“I have make up!” Harry said, making Louis jump with alarm, though it really shouldn’t have surprised him. “I have eye sparkles, Freddie. I have all kinds of sparkly things to play with.”</p><p>“Cool!” Freddie smiled. “Bye Daddy. Bye daddy’s boyfriend!”</p><p>Louis burst into laughter, kissing Freddie briefly before Briana whisked him away. At least he’d get a full weekend with him, though. And he liked Harry. He liked Harry a lot.</p><p>“Was that okay? Did he like me? Did you find my make up? I need to buy more if you didn’t. Fuck.” Harry began pacing, and out of the corner of Louis’ eye, he could see the rest of his family inching forward. Everyone wanted to meet Harry, but he was currently freaking out, so Louis gripped his shoulders and forced him to stay still.</p><p>“Chill out, Angel. He loved you and your make-up.” Louis teased, smirking slightly. “You’ll have to put some on for me sometime. I can’t imagine your face getting prettier.”</p><p>“Louis! Now is not the time for flattery, though it will work,” Harry said, tossing his hair over his shoulder. “I mean, it’s good that-,”</p><p>“Can you meet more people right now?” Louis asked, stepping close enough to breathe in his worried coconut scent. “Or do you want to keep freaking out? Don’t worry. Me sisters love to wait.”</p><p>Harry eyed Louis as if he was crazy. He took a few deep breaths before pressing his lips to his forehead. “You’re putting me through a lot. You’re lucky I love you, Lou.”</p><p>Anne and Gemma were in deep conversation with Jay, Fizzy, and the older twins, though the latter two seemed more interested in their phones than anything else. They were divas and Louis loved them for it. The younger twins were nowhere to be seen, so Louis assumed Jay put them to bed already. “Mum, sorry to interrupt, but I want you-,”</p><p>“Harry! Oh my goodness, I’ve been dying to meet you for ages! I was about to grab you earlier, but then I saw little Freddie in your arms and just couldn’t interrupt!” Jay said, sucking in a large breath of air before she opened her mouth to say more. Luckily, Harry said something first.</p><p>“It’s great to meet you, as well. Louis never stops talking about you,” Harry said, holding out his arms to hug Jay. Hugs went a long way in the Tomlinson family.</p><p>“Honestly, once we got in a fight over whose mum was the best,” Louis said as Harry squatted down to introduce himself to Fizzy and the twins. Anne and Jay both looked at each other and beamed. “We never did settle that, come to think of it.”</p><p>“Obviously we’re in the presence of the two best mums around, so I doubt we’ll ever settle it,” Harry said, standing up and coming back to Louis’ side.</p><p>“These two really know how to butter us mum up, huh,” Jay said, hand caressing Louis’ face like he was ten again. He honestly loved that.</p><p>“Well, Louis did go to jail and kill two – ow!” Fizzy began, but Louis pinched her arm. She stuck out her tongue at him and ran off.</p><p>“Which wasn’t Jay’s fault at all,” Anne said. “Alright, boys. We were talking about how you two met, but your stories aren’t lining up exactly.”</p><p>Louis paled, sweat forming on his palms. He wrapped an arm around Harry’s waist and nudged him, but he was stiffer than a board. “Um, I don’t think you want-,” Harry said, words stumbling over each other enough to make Gemma laugh. She could see right through them, and Louis worried his mum could, too.</p><p>“It’s rather embarrassing, to be honest.”</p><p>“Come on, Louis,” Gemma said, glee dripping from her smile. “You owe us that much.”</p><p>Harry began, but Louis knew he was a shit liar, so he jumped ahead and said, “I fell in the shower, alright? They’re not exactly designed for people with one leg, and Harry saw, so he helped me and couldn’t resist feeling up me bum in the process. He’s a little pervert, Anne, did you know that?”</p><p>Harry gasped, shoving Louis roughly on the shoulder. “I did not! I was very respectful, thank you! I mean, he is obviously gorgeous, but I was a gentleman about it!”</p><p>Harry looked sick at the notion of casting him as the pervert when in reality, Louis could almost hold that title from their real meeting. He gave Louis the stink eye and turned away, making everyone laugh and tease him. Louis rolled his eyes, kissing his shoulder before prying his way underneath his crossed arms again.</p><p>“So you did look is what you’re saying,” Gemma said with a sly smirk on her lips. “That’s not very gentlemanly either, Harry.”</p><p>Harry threw his hands up before roughly grabbing Louis from behind and giving him a shake. “You can’t not look when somebody is arse up on the dirty shower floor, Gemma! I had to help him before he got a fungal infection on his dick! I wasn’t exactly thinking about sex at the time for that reason, so yes, it was gentlemanly!”</p><p>At this point, everyone burst into laughter. Harry was horribly distraught over a scenario that never even happened, which made it so much funnier to Louis. Trying to still his laughter, Louis kissed the arms wrapped firmly over his chest. It didn’t ease any of Harry’s tension, but luckily, Jay patted his shoulder and smiled at him. “Thank you for helping my baby, Harry. In more ways than one.”</p><p>“Are you referring to Harry helping him get off?” Lottie jumped into the circle with a large grin on her face, looking at Louis as if warning him of the revenge she was about to take. “Because Niall said it was almost a nightly thing for the whole prison to hear. It’ll take a while to thank him for – ow, ow, ow!”</p><p>“Shut the fuck up, Lottie,” Louis said, pinching her arm until she finally bent to his will and stopped talking. Anne and Jay had red faces and refused to look at the pair. “Where the fuck is that bloody Irishman, anyways? I need to talk to him about boundaries!”</p><p>Lottie was still laughing manically. “I actually came over to tell you they’re about to leave.”</p><p>Louis looked at the group pulling on their jackets. He stood on his toes and said, “Bye lads! Thanks for coming! See everyone in a week!”</p><p>Zayn snorted. “Yeah, as long as your throats aren’t too fucked out to sing.”</p><p>Louis broke free of Harry’s hold, curses flying out of his mouth as he readied to throw a punch or two at his friends for their sexual insinuations in front of his teenage sisters who sat on the couch in a fit of giggles, but Harry’s hand gripped his wrist and yanked him back into his chest. “Alright, I think Louis need to sleep before he knocks someone’s teeth out. I’d offer to show you all to your rooms, but I’m as new here as you are.”</p><p>Louis took a deep breath before looking at Harry with disdain, but instead of his smiling eyes staring back at him, there was a dark, serious look in them. His grip tightened on Louis’ arm, and Louis finally understood what Harry really wanted. He almost jumped as he said, “Not for long! Haz, our room is on this floor. Follow that hallway. Everyone else, follow me upstairs. The little twins are already in Freddie’s room, so we have four open rooms up here. I figure there should be enough room for everyone. If not, there’s a big couch here and in the basement for anyone who wants it.”</p><p>“Thank you, love,” Jay said, pulling Louis in for a hug. He’d visited his family a lot since he was released, but there wasn’t a day that went by that he forgot the years spent without seeing him. He’d never take hugs from his mum for granted again. “Sweet dreams.”</p><p>“You too,” Louis said, kissing her cheek before turning to Anne and Gemma. “There are towels and toiletries in the bathrooms, but if you need anything, just let me know, alright?”</p><p>“This is a big house,” Gemma said, looking around at the railing that overlooked the living room. “It’s beautiful.”</p><p>Louis shrugged. “Thank you. Of course, I have a feeling Harry can help redecorate. He’ll turn our house into a real home.” Gemma nodded strongly, letting Louis know his hunch was correct. “This place has always been too big for just meself, but my realtor convinced me I’d want a lot of rooms for when I have kids. I, uh, want a big family, eventually.”</p><p>Anne folded her hands over her heart. “I love hearing that.” She stepped forward and took his hands into her own. “I also love hearing you talk about this house as yours and Harry’s even though I know Harry didn’t pay a pound for it.”</p><p>Louis smiled sheepishly, head hanging at the sincerity in her eyes. “I don’t care about that. We kind of relied on each other in there. It’s been pretty lonely here without him. In there, home was with Harry, and it’s the same out here, too, I think.”</p><p>Anne pulled him into her arms and kissed both his cheeks as she beamed at him. “Thank you for taking care of my baby, Louis.”</p><p>“Always,” Louis said, chuckling nervously as she released him. Gemma was shaking her head as she smiled at him. “Good night, Anne.”</p><p>She bid him good night and disappeared into one of the rooms. Gemma then pulled Louis in and nuzzled his hair. “You’re such a kiss-arse.”</p><p>“It’s true!” Louis sputtered, but they were both smiling. Eventually, she sighed, brushing down some of his wild hair. “I am glad Harry found somebody good – and don’t start with the ‘not good’ shit. Nick Grimshaw was not good, and we all told Harry such, but he ignored us. You’re the opposite of Nick.”</p><p>Gemma had no idea how good it felt to hear that. His heart burst with relief. He’d always thought he wasn’t close to his level, but having heard that from someone else offered him healing he feared would never come. “Thank you, Gemma.”</p><p>She smiled ruefully and shoved him toward the stairs. “Alright, go have sex with my brother now.” Louis’ mouth dropped open. “Like we didn’t all know it was coming! Just don’t let us hear you coming, alright?”</p><p>Louis groaned, face falling into his hand with a loud smack! “You’re just as bad as Harry.” Gemma cackled as she walked toward the door. Before she opened it, Louis snickered. “By the way, our bedroom is sound-proofed, so you shouldn’t have to worry.”</p><p>“Gross!”</p><p>Louis wasn’t expecting much when he got back to his room. He honestly thought Harry would be protesting at such a large room or house. Luckily, all he found was a note on the bed.</p><p>
  <em>In the shower. Join me.</em>
</p><p>Louis entered the bathroom with a grin on his face while pulling his shirt off. He was met with the glorious site of Harry’s muscled backside and peachy bum through the glass shower divider. “Little more room than the last shower we shared together, yeah?” Louis spoke, startling Harry into turning around. Louis was bent over pulling off his prosthetic leg, and he could feel Harry’s eyes on him when he stood up.</p><p>“Fuck, get in here, Lou,” Harry said, voice so low it felt like a growl. He wasted no more time, slipping in the side thankful he had a large enough shower that doors were unnecessary. Louis’ arms weaved around Harry’s waist, savoring the hot, firm skin beneath his touch. As Harry’s hands held his face between them, caressing him like he was the most fragile, beautiful piece of art he’d ever seen, Louis wondered if this was all a dream. If he was still in the prison infirmary having the fantasy of his life.</p><p>Harry kissed him as they stepped back into the water, three jets hitting them from the top, front, and back. It was overwhelming and powerful, and he began to slip, mouth falling away from Harry’s. Without a thought, Harry’s hands gripped Louis’ thighs, lifting him until his legs clasped around his muscled waist.</p><p>“You’ve been working out.” Louis whined because it was almost painful as he clutched at Harry’s biceps. The green in his eyes held Louis’ gaze, making his head spin more. Water fell down Harry’s face, highlighting his jaw line and eye lashes, and when he smiled, Louis darted forward and poked his tongue into his dimple. “I’ve missed you and that dimple, Angel.”</p><p>One of Harry’s hands gripped his bum, making them both groan. “Have you missed anything else about me?”</p><p>Louis wanted to say everything. The longing look in Harry’s eyes made him want to confess he hadn’t slept well since leaving prison despite his four-thousand-pound bed. He wanted to confess he’d been going insane without their midnight conversations about nothing, debates about which bands were better, and everything else they talked about in that prison. He wanted to confess just how much he missed him, but he could see it in Harry’s eyes. The mirrored look of pining for everything about the other enough to cause damage to his soul was there. Harry understood perfectly.</p><p>“Every inch of you.” Louis surged upward, tongue licking along his plush lips as he spoke. “So much that I need you inside me.”</p><p>Harry bit his lip firmly, making Louis whimper. “Do you?” His voice lifted, as if he had perfect control over it. That alone was infuriating, and the teasing tone only made it worse. “How badly? Because I was trying to shower before you interrupted.”</p><p>Louis narrowed his eyes before deciding his plan of action. Harry wanted to be a tease tonight. That normally would be fine, but Louis hadn’t gotten to touch him in so long he was far past patient. He let his leg fall to the ground, body sliding against Harry’s chiseled abs as he stood. “You know, that does sound more important.”</p><p>The shock on Harry’s face was enough to feed Louis’ ego. He loved giving a performance, so he grabbed his loofa and soaped up his body, eyes staying glued to the green ones of Harry’s. When he spun around, he bent over slightly, hands pressed against the divider. “Would you mind helping spread me bum, Angel? I wanna get me bumhole really clean before I finger myself.”</p><p>“You’re going to finger yourself?” Harry asked with a scoff. Louis bit his lip, trying to keep his tone of indifference.</p><p>“Well, you’re so concerned with a good shower. Wouldn’t want to – fuckkk…” Louis moaned, sentence cutting off as Harry grabbed one of his cheeks so firmly there would be bruises and used his other hand to scrub the loofa over his hole, rubbing against it with the semi-rough material and making Louis’ body pulse.</p><p>Harry tapped the control panel, making the spray in front of Louis disappear, and then he pressed Louis against the wall, lips brushing Louis’ ear. “You won’t ever finger yourself again unless I tell you to, alright? You come to me to get off from now on.”</p><p>Louis felt his eyes roll to the back of his head without his permission. His dick was fully hard despite his body barely being touched. “Yes, daddy.”</p><p>The words slipped out of his mouth, and he couldn’t take them back. Harry growled harshly, tongue licking at his ear until Louis was a moaning mess. “Good boy. Daddy is gonna make you feel so good, yeah? ”</p><p>Louis rolled his bum back into Harry, desperate for some type of friction. “Yes. Yes, just-,”</p><p>“You can beg,” Harry said before his lips latched onto Louis’ neck, kissing his skin with a hunger that had been held back before. Louis groaned, body falling slack into Harry’s hands. “But I’m taking my time with you tonight no matter what you say, baby.”</p><p>“Holy fuck.” Louis felt heat all around him. Harry pressed his cock against his bum, making them both shudder. “You’re so hot, Haz. Please. Do something. I – I’m close.”</p><p>It had been an embarrassingly long time since he’d gotten off; he’s been too excited for Harry to get here.</p><p>Harry chuckled darkly, and then he stepped away. Before Louis could follow, two hands settled on his hips, holding them firmly in place. Louis looked over his shoulder and wanted to cry at the sight of Harry on his knees.</p><p>“Bend over for me, baby. I’ll hold you up.”</p><p>Louis bent over at the waist, bracing against the wall and feeling unstable until Harry squeezed his two strong hands on his hips, thumbs pulling his cheeks apart. Louis loved that he didn’t have to tell Harry he couldn’t do something due to his missing leg; Harry always knew and improvised.</p><p>His tongue licked up his thigh, teeth nipping at the bottom of his bum before making their way towards his rim. At first, he only teased around it, but Louis’ body was aching for more, so he rolled his bum back towards Harry’s mouth. That earned him a firm smack to his bum, making Louis whimper. Harry flattened his tongue against his hole then, and Louis moaned so loudly he could hear it above the spray of the shower.</p><p>“You <em>are</em> close, aren’t you, Lou?” Harry asked so smugly Louis wanted to hit him, but he was also desperate to feel his tongue do more against his rim, so all he did was nod desperately. Harry suddenly flicked his tongue around his rim in a rapid, overwhelming way that made the pit in Louis’ stomach feel unbearable. His head fell loudly against the shower divider as he cried out, tears mixing with the water on his face.</p><p>“I think that’s enough,” Harry said without warning, standing and spinning Louis around. “So glad I can finally hear you. You sound so pretty, baby.”</p><p>“I was s-so close,” Louis said, fluttering his eye lashes and hoping Harry would take it easy on him. His red lips lifted into a smile, and then they were on Louis’, kissing him back into the water fall.</p><p>“You’ve waited so long for me,” Harry said, hands running down his sides. His ripped body glistening with water wasn’t helping ebb away the painful boner Louis had. “I think you can wait a little longer.”</p><p>“You’re edging me?” Louis asked with as much excitement as if he were about to walk on fire. “Why? Haven’t I been good for daddy?”</p><p>The blacks of Harry’s eyes had completely swallowed the green. “You’ve been so good, baby, but I want to come with you tonight. So I need you to come on command. Edging will be the best way to do that.”</p><p>Louis breathed deeply before nodding. Harry handed him the soap and second loofa, so Louis eagerly ran the soapy material all over Harry’s body, biting at his back when it became too much for him. His body was muscled and firm and tattooed and something Louis missed feeling all the time. When he finished, Louis wrapped his hand around his hard cock, savoring the feel of it.</p><p>“Missed this,” Louis said, eyes locking with Harry’s. “I want to suck you.”</p><p>“Bed,” Harry said before his lips fell onto Louis’ again. They kissed hard and hungry, tongues tasting the other’s with a feeling of desire and need. Louis almost didn’t want to break the kiss, having missed being able to do this with Harry for so long, but then Harry’s dick slid between his fingers, and Louis pulled back, eyes hooded.</p><p>“Bed.” Louis pecked his lips once more and moved out of the shower, too eager to wait for Harry’s slow arse to help him. He ended up stealing Harry’s towel and briefly dried off while hopping his way to the bed.</p><p>“You know, watching you hop around, your house design makes a lot more sense,” Harry said from the bathroom as he lazily dried off. Louis flashed him the finger, throwing his own towel back at him. “I’m not complaining. Your bum jiggles when you hop! I love it!”</p><p>Louis huffed, falling over the bed and shaking his arse just in spite of Harry’s slow movements. “I’d much rather have you make it ‘jiggle.’ Get over here.”</p><p>“Hmm. You’re rather demanding tonight, aren’t you?” Harry said, twirling the towel in his hands. Louis eyed it precariously over his shoulder, unsure if Harry were really willing to do what it looked like he was going to. “If you want to dom, all you have to do is ask, baby. Fuck, if you wanted to top, we could do that, too.” Louis knew this. They’d talked about him topping here and there eventually, whenever Harry was ready. It wasn’t a pressing matter on either end though. They both preferred their current positions in general.</p><p>“Yeah, so?”</p><p>Suddenly, Harry whipped the twirled, wet towel right onto Louis’ arse, making the smaller lad shout. Harry stepped between Louis’ legs, body falling over his. “But you don’t want that, do you, Lou? You want me to toss you around and fuck you like you’re mine. Because you <em>are</em> mine - to do whatever I want with you.”</p><p>Louis moaned, head falling to the side as Harry bit down into his shoulder. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as he muttered out words of bliss. “Fuck yes. Please, Haz. Please. Need you.”</p><p>Harry nipped at his ear. “Stand up.” Louis did, heat flushing through him as Harry rubbed his leaking cock between his cheeks. “No more speaking.” Then, Harry shoved him back roughly, sending Louis upward on the bed, face falling into the bed with a smirk. “Turn over.”</p><p>Louis was tempted to challenge him, but his body was trembling with the need to have Harry inside him. “You look so pretty, Lou,” Harry said, voice rough as opened the nightstand and tossed the lube beside them. “Gonna fuck you so well.”</p><p>“Please,” Louis said, voice higher than normal as Harry fell between his legs. Harry raised an eyebrow as he lubed up his fingers. “Sorry.”</p><p>“Sorry what?” Harry asked, finger pressed directly against Louis’ hole, making him gasp and push back into him.</p><p>“Sorry daddy.”</p><p>Harry pushed inside him instantly, making Louis squirm. “Good boy.” He curled his finger, brushing against the spot that made Louis scream, head falling against the bed. “You’re so loud, Lou. Fuck, I love it. You were holding back in the prison, weren’t you?” Louis opened his mouth to speak, but he was finally adjusting to his finger and worried Harry wouldn’t give him another if he spoke out again. “You can speak now. I want to hear you to be loud for me, sweetheart.”</p><p>When he pushed in the second finger, Louis’ mouth dropped open as he adjusted, but the moment Harry curled his fingers, Louis shouted, “Daddy - fuck – please! Please, keep – ah!” Harry was relentless, brushing his prostate with purpose. There was a dark glint in his eyes and a small smirk on his red lips, telling Louis he was playing him like a guitar, knowing exactly how much this affected Louis. His cock was spilling out precome, and the coil in his stomach was seconds away from releasing when Harry added in a third finger. Louis’ eyes rolled to the back of his head, and his nails dug into Harry’s bicep, ready to come all over his abs, but then he pulled his fingers out. “That was very naughty of you, baby. You don’t think I can’t remember what you look like when you’re about to come, do you?”</p><p>“N-no.” Louis propped himself up on his elbows, shoving the lube into Harry’s chest with a whine. “S-sorry. But, god, fuck me, Harry. I love you so much, daddy, I need you inside me right now. Please.”</p><p>Harry smirked, slicking up his cock as he fell against Louis’ chest. Their hearts beat so strongly against the other, making it impossible to miss anything going on right now. His whole body was electrified with desire, and when Harry rubbed his cock against his rim, a moan so loud Louis worried his family would somehow hear ripped out of him.</p><p>“God, you sound gorgeous, baby. You ready for me?”</p><p>“Yes! Please!”</p><p>Harry kissed him as he thrust inside into him roughly. Louis cried out, nails raking down Harry’s neck and back. Harry groaned as he bottomed out. They both needed moments to collect themselves. As much as Louis wanted to come, he wanted to feel Harry fuck him first.</p><p>Then, Harry pulled out and thrust into Louis with so much power he slid up the bed. “Fuck! Shit, yes, Ha – aauhh…” Louis wasn’t conscious of what fell out of his mouth. His whole world was shattering, and it felt amazing. Harry filled him to the point that he thought he’d combust. He kept fucking him until Louis felt tears spill from his eyes. “I love you, Haz. God, so much. I – can I come, daddy? Please?”</p><p>“Not yet,” Harry growled, taking Louis’ wrist into his hands and slamming them into the bed. Harry fell on top of him, teeth biting sharply at Louis’ collarbone. Sobs wrecked his body, but they were only sending him further into the dark with Harry’s entire essence as the only anchor keeping him alive. “Look at you. My pretty baby so wound up. Do you want to come on daddy’s cock? Is that it?” Harry looked him in the eye as he fucked him faster, and it was enough to stall his speech completely. “Or do you want me to fill you up with my cum?”</p><p>“Fuck,” Louis swore, struggling to look into the green of Harry’s eyes. Harry’s pace grew rapid and almost unbearable. His fingers tightened on his wrist, and Louis felt his dick ram directly against his prostate. “Yes! Both! Just – please let me come, daddy.”</p><p>Harry smirked, aiming for his prostate again and receiving a loud cry from Louis. Finally, he licked into Louis’ mouth, biting his lip as he whispered, “Come for me, baby.”</p><p>Louis’ back arched as his whole body was overcome with his orgasm. He registered Harry biting into his collarbone, growling out, “I fucking love you, Lou,” as he stilled deep inside Louis.</p><p>It took Louis a solid minute to control his breathing. Harry was still squishing him into the bed, plush lips kissing his neck lightly, making Louis’ body flutter with aftershocks of such an intense orgasm.</p><p>“Think I bloody blacked out for a second,” Louis said, voice raspy and fucked out. Harry laughed, grinning proudly above him. Louis didn’t have the energy to tease his child-like behavior.</p><p>“It didn’t sound like it.” Harry licked his lips as if he could go for a round two. Louis raised a weak hand to mess up his hair further. It was short now, but only compared to the shoulder-length look he rocked in prison. He still looked like a prince. “Fuck, Lou. I think I could get off on the sounds of you alone.”</p><p>Louis beamed suddenly, wrapping his arms around Harry’s neck and pulling him in for a lazy snog, enjoying the way their lips felt moving against the others. “Yeah?”</p><p>“Definitely,” Harry said, pecking his lips and slowly pulling out of Louis, who shifted uncomfortably. He disappeared quickly to grab a wet flannel. “We had great sex in the prison, don’t get me wrong, but this was mind-blowing.”</p><p>Louis watched him walk back to bed in utter disbelief that this was the god of a man he’d get to sleep next to for the rest of his life, hopefully. “A lot dirtier, yeah. And that was just the beginning,” Louis said as Harry wiped his stomach down. When he was done, Louis yanked him into bed, shuffling them both under the covers and sighing as he lied on Harry’s chest. “If we did that in the prison, I never could have stayed quiet.”</p><p>Harry took a deep breath. His hand traced a pattern up and down Louis’ back. They were both exhausted, but neither wanted to sleep. Louis thought about how the evening went more perfectly than he could have hoped for. For the first time in his life, he had everything he dreamed of.</p><p>“We’re finally free, Haz,” Louis said, voice low, like he was afraid to say the words out loud. “Isn’t it crazy?”</p><p>Harry beamed, teeth shining despite the low light. Louis inched upward, lips centimeters from his. “It feels impossible, but here we are.” Louis kissed him slowly, unsure if he could express how grateful and happy he was all at once. Then, he remembered he didn’t exactly have to rely on only that. <br/><br/></p><p>“I got you something to celebrate it all.” Louis blurted, pushing off his chest and reaching beneath the bed. “Getting released. Starting the band. Mostly you moving in with me, though.” </p><p>Louis’ cheeks burned as he produced the slim rectangular black box. Harry reached for it hesitantly, a small smile moving onto his lips. “You didn’t have to get me anything. Now I feel bad I didn’t get you anything.”</p><p>Louis rolled his eyes. “It’s not romantic or shite. It’s - just bloody open it.”</p><p>When Harry finally did, he gasped, eyes going wide with shock. Gently, he took the golden cross necklace into his hands, staring at it in awe. </p><p>“It’s probably not like the one they stole from you - I never saw it - but, like -,”</p><p>Harry flung his arms around Louis. “It’s stunning, Louis. I love it. You’re - this is absolutely romantic!”</p><p>Now Louis was really blushing. The green in Harry’s eyes felt too piercing suddenly. “It’s fucking real gold, isn’t it? God, you snob.”</p><p>At that, Louis cracked a smile as he nodded. He kissed Harry softly, taking the gold chain and adorning Harry with it. “Beautiful. Just like the man wearing it.”</p><p>Harry’s smile was more radiant than the stars trickling light in through the window. Harry pulled him into bed, holding him against his chest as he nuzzled into his neck. Being held by Harry after exhausting sex and too sappy encounters was quickly lulling Louis to sleep. He was safer and more content than he’d been all his life. “I love you, Louis. So much.”</p><p>“I love you, too, Angel,” Louis said, eyes drifting shut as he twisted in his arms, burying his head in his neck. It was his safety spot, after all. As much as he kept Harry safe in the prison, Harry was equally his savior. “We survived. Together. And now we get to spend the rest of our lives together. Starting with sleep.”</p><p>Louis fell asleep to the sound of his angel’s laughter ringing throughout his world. It never really stopped.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Please leave me feedback! I enjoy every comment very much! It inspires me to continue writing. I will post an update with the next chapter as soon as I can, but comments and kudos help push me along! </p><p>Feel free to tell me what you thought of the characters, setting, etc., and what you think is going to happen next! Also any constructive criticism! Thanks!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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